Martinez Goes 3-3 as Lobos Fall to GCU
PHOENIX, Ariz.— The script started out like every other game to date in the 2020 New Mexico softball season. The Lobos got on the scoreboard first with a two-run home run in the top of the first and the pitching kept Grand Canyon off of the board.
When GCU put a run on the board in the fourth, the Lobos responded with runs of their own to maintain the lead.
However, on Sunday afternoon against the Lopes, uncharacteristic errors in the fifth inning proved costly as GCU went on to score five runs to take a 6-4 lead, and although the Lobos would rally to tie the game on the ensuing at-bats, GCU would come away with the 7-6 win following a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh by Olivia Zufelt.
Zufelt would account for four of GCU’s runs-batted-in in the game, hitting a bases-clearing double to tie the game in the fifth and the game-winning home run.
Freshman Briana Martinez was the offensive spark for the Lobos on Sunday, going 3-for-3 at the plate with a home run, two RBI, a stolen base and a walk. Through the first five games of the season, Martinez leads the team in batting average (.385), walks (six) and is tied for the team high in hits (five) with Bailey Klitzke, Andrea Howard, and fellow freshman Rachael Hathoot. The New Mexico native is also 2-for-2 in stolen bases to lead the team.
Lauren Wilmert entered the game in the fifth to pinch hit and delivered with a single to score a run and Klitzke and Howard tallied consecutive hits in the sixth to tie the game up.
New Mexico (2-3) outhit Grand Canyon (1-5) 9-7 in the game, but reverting back to issues that plagued the Lobos in both games on Friday, left 10 runners on base compared to just five for GCU.
In addition to the three hits from Martinez, Klitzke and Hathoot each had two hits, marking the first multiple-hit game for Martinez and Hathoot this season and the second for Klitzke. Furthermore, Hathoot’s hits on Sunday continued the hitting streak for the freshman third baseman, bringing the total to four games.
Other stats of note were that UNM held a 5-4 advantage in walks, with Sydney Broderick tying her career high with two, and UNM was just 3-11 (.273) with runners in scoring position in the game and 5-18 (.278) with runners on.
Going against GCU starting pitcher Ryan Denhart, the top of the Lobo lineup got to the right-hander early, with Hathoot singling through the left side of the infield to start the game following a full count. With one out in the inning, Martinez drove the 2-1 pitch over the wall in left field for her first collegiate home run and an early 2-0 lead for UNM.
In the five games this season, the Lobos have scored in the first inning in four of them and are outscoring their opponents 7-0 in the first inning. With the home run from Martinez, the Lobos have also recorded a home run in each of the last four games.
Getting the ball for UNM was sophomore Kennedy Ferguson, who needed just 10 pitches to get through the first three hitters and allowed just one hit through the first two innings in the circle.
As a counterpoint, the Lobos again showed patience at the plate and had quality at-bats against Denhart, drawing four, 3-2 counts and a walk by Broderick as Denhart’s pitch count got to 39 pitches in the first two innings.
UNM had another chance to add a run in the third as Martinez singled to left with two outs and stole second, her second of the weekend, advancing to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Klitzke got on base with a walk, but the Lobos couldn’t drive Martinez in and left two on base.
After another scoreless inning for Ferguson in the bottom of the third, the Lobos put two more runners in scoring position following a walk for Broderick, an error by the GCU third baseman that allowed Gavyn Shafer to reach safely and a sacrifice bunt by Taylor Jones that advanced runners to second and third. The runners would be stranded in scoring position.
GCU got a run back on a solo home run by Lilly Bishop to cut the lead in half, but in the ensuing at-bats the Lobos strung together hits to build their lead, albeit a little assistance from some GCU fielding errors.
Martinez reached base on a one-out single to right field and Klitzke followed with a single back up the middle to move Martinez over. After GCU recorded the second out of the inning, Wilmert was brought in to pinch hit for Reyan Tuck. Wilmert drove the second pitch she saw to center to plate Martinez and Klitzke remained at second. Broderick reached safely on an error by the second baseman after the infielder was unable to cleanly field the hard-hit ball, but in the process Klitzke was able to score from second, sliding in under the tag at home.
Another GCU error during Shafer’s at-bat loaded the bases for Jones, who hit a shallow ball to center that the Lopes outfielder made a diving catch to prevent the ball from dropping in and allowing any more runs for UNM.
Errors continued to be a trend in the fifth, with UNM recording three in the bottom half to go along with GCU’s two in the top of the inning.
Ferguson recorded the first out of the inning on a fly ball hit to Jones in right, who coincidentally had to dive to get the out, but then the Lopes would get their first baserunner on board with a single. On the next at-bat, Jaiden Reid laid down a bunt and beat out the throw to first to put two on and a fielding error by Ferguson on the next at-bat loaded the bases. Zufelt tied the game on a pinch-hit, bases-loaded double to the gap between center and right field that cleared the bases, which would end up being the final batter for Ferguson as Brianna Sanchez was brought in.
After a fielding error by O’Grady and a walk loaded the bases, a sacrifice fly by Bishop gave GCU the 5-4 lead. With runners on the corners following a stolen base, the Lopes were able to add a final run in the inning on an error by Broderick when she threw down to second on ball four, which allowed the runner from third to score.
Trailing 6-4, the top of the order for UNM answered. Hathoot singled back up the middle for her second hit of the afternoon and Martinez walked, to put two on with one out. Both freshmen advanced a base on a passed ball and a single by Klitzke to right field on a 3-2 pitch brought in Hathoot from third. Martinez tried to score from second but was thrown out at the plate for the second out of the inning.
Klitzke was able to move to second on a passed ball during Howard’s at-bat, which proved significant as Howard hit a double to the gap between left and center to allow Klitzke to score and tie the game up at six.
Returning to the circle, Sanchez retired the GCU hitters in order in the bottom of the inning on just seven pitches. However, in the top of the seventh the Lobos were only able to put one runner on base, via a four-pitch walk by Shafer. Leslie Romero entered to pinch hit for Jones and hit a line drive to center that the GCU outfielder was able to snag out of the air at the warning track to prevent any opportunity for the Lobos to create any scoring opportunity.
Sanchez was able to get the first out in the bottom of the seventh but Zufelt’s home run to center ended the game. It is the second time this weekend that UNM has been on the losing end of a 7-6, walk-off decision.
Sanchez was tagged with the loss in the relief effort, going 2.0 innings with one hit, two walks and a strikeout in her fourth appearance this season. The final stat line for Ferguson was 4.1 innings with six hits, five runs (three earned), two walks, a strikeout and 60 pitches thrown, 35 going for strikes.
Up next: The Lobos host Northern Colorado and UCSB in the Susan Craig Classic starting on Friday, Feb. 14 at 3 p.m. UNM will open against Northern Colorado with first pitch scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and will be the first of four games for the Lobos in the three-day tournament. There will be a total of seven games in the tournament with the full schedule available HERE. Tickets can be purchased for any or all of the games at the UNM ticket office HERE, and one ticket will be valid for all of the games that day.