Howard Drives in Two as Lobos Fall to Omaha

STILLWATER, Okla.— An Andrea Howard double to center in the fifth inning drove in two runs, but The University of New Mexico softball team dropped its final game of the weekend to the Omaha Mavericks on Sunday morning by a score of 7-2.

UNM had six hits in the game and had base runners reach in the second, third and fourth but were unable to get on the scoreboard until the fifth inning.

The Lobos rallied with two outs in the inning, with Samantha Simons reaching base on a single to center and Cameryn O’Grady following up with a single up the middle to bring up Howard. The senior outfielder drove the ball to center to clear the bases for her team-high fourth double of the season and UNM’s only runs of the game, which made it 6-2.

Omaha plated one more run in the bottom of the inning for the final run of the game. While the Lobos placed one more on base with a Lauren Wilmert walk in the sixth, Wilmert was left in scoring position, one of five runners left on base by UNM.

UNM used three pitchers in the game, with Talia Hannappel getting the start in the circle and pitched 1.2 innings while allowing four runs on five hits and striking out two hitters with no walks, before being replaced by Emma Guindon. In her 10th appearance of the season, Guindon pitched 1.1 innings faced just six batters and allowed two runs on three hits. Freshman Ashlyn Roberts entered to start the fourth inning and finished the game with two strikeouts, a walk and an earned run on four hits.

O’Grady led the team with two hits and Simons, Peyton Robinson, Sydney Broderick and Howard each had one. In addition, Wilmert was responsible for both Lobo walks

As the conference season approaches at the end of the month, the Lobos will have two, three-game series the next two weeks to prepare. The Lobos will travel to Lubbock, Texas to play Texas Tech in one game on Friday and two games on Saturday.