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Lobos on Short End of Defensive Duel with UNLV

LAS VEGAS, Nev.— The University of New Mexico found itself on the losing end of a defensive Mountain West contest with UNLV on Thursday night in which all runs scored occurred in the later innings as the Rebels emerged with a 2-1 win.

Both teams combined for just one hit through the first three innings, which came on a leadoff single by Aleyah Wilbon to start the game.

Wilbon, Cameryn O’Grady and Taylor Jones registered the only hits of the evening for the Lobos, with the biggest hit of the game coming on the bat of Jones, who led off the sixth with a solo home run out of the nine spot in the lineup to tie the game at one.

In the top half of the inning, Wilbon beat out a throw to first by the shortstop to reach base but was unable to advance any further. In the bottom half, a throwing error by O’Grady allowed Reina Bondi to reach base, however, after a strikeout by Kiana Spencer, catcher Sydney Broderick threw out Bondi for the third out of the inning, only the second time this season that Bondi has been caught stealing after entering the game 18-for-19. Broderick has now thrown out seven runners on the season.


After Bondi reached on the error, Spencer and the Lobo defense put together a 1-2-3 inning in the second and third and Spencer retired nine hitters in-a-row before UNLV registered its first hit of the game on a one-out single to center in the bottom of the fourth.

UNM’s first opportunity to score came in the top of the fourth following a leadoff walk by Sydney Townes after drawing a full count and on the first pitch of the next at-bat, O’Grady placed the ball just over the head of the UNLV third baseman to put the first two hitters on, including the first runner in scoring position for either team. Unfortunately, a fly out to left and a double play ended the inning without a run.

In the home half, UNLV recorded back-to-back singles to put two on with one out, but the Lobos worked out of the inning. The runners advanced second and third on a hit to first that also recorded the second out of the inning and a pop up to Kasey Halleen ended the inning leaving the runners stranded and the game still scoreless.

However, after the Lobos were retired in the top of the fifth, UNLV took advantage of a Lobo error to score the first run of the game in its at-bat of the inning. After a runner reached on a one-out hit to Halleen at second, a hit back up the middle went off of Spencer’s glove and rolled towards O’Grady at short, who threw the ball in to the dugout to allow Myranda Bueno to score to give UNLV a 1-0 lead.

The lead didn’t last long as Jones hit her second home run of the season to start the sixth, tying the game on a 2-1 pitch with a shot to center that just got over the glove of the center fielder.


UNLV retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth on three hits, starting with a one-out single to right field. Another single to right field put runners on first and second and a fly out to right allowed the runner on second to tag to third. A single up the middle that fell in front of a diving D’Andra DeFlora brought in the runner from third to break the tie.

UNLV outhit UNM 7-3 in the game and left five runners on base compared to four for the Lobos. UNM drew three walks in the game with one apiece from Townes, Monica Salas and Bailey Klitzke, while the Rebels earned no free passes.

Spencer pitched her 10th complete game of the season and was efficient in the circle, throwing 57 strikes on 82 pitches. Spencer struck out one hitter and as mentioned previously, didn’t allow a single walk on 25 batters faced.

Game two of the series is set for Friday at 5 p.m. MT.

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