Lobos Run-Rule Wolf Pack, Lose Lead Late in Second Game to Split Saturday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Home runs were prevalent in Saturday’s doubleheader against the Nevada Wolf Pack as The University of New Mexico hit three home runs in the first game and two in the second game with four different Lobos accounting for a home run.
Senior shortstop Cameryn O’Grady led the way with two home runs in the first game, a two-run home run and a three-run home run for a career high in home runs, total bases and RBI, as the Lobos run-ruled the Wolf Pack 12-4 in five innings. Taryn Young recorded her first home run of the season to lead off a seven-run fourth inning for UNM in which the Lobos batted around the order.
In the second game, Andrea Howard hit her sixth home run of the season on a no-doubter beyond the bleachers in right for three runs in the third and Rachael Hathoot delivered with a two-run home run to tie the game at five in the sixth for her first home run of the season, with the Lobos eventually going on to score two more runs to take a 7-5 lead in the inning.
Nine different Lobos recorded at least one hit between the two games, with O’Grady, Young and Peyton Robinson finishing the day with three and designated player Samantha Simons, Reyan Tuck, Lauren Wilmert and Hathoot tallying two each, with Tuck hitting two doubles.
O’Grady led with a .750 on-base percentage, also reaching on two walks and a hit-by-pitch and accounted for a team-high 1.800 slugging percentage and five RBI.
UNM used three pitchers on the day with Emma Guindon throwing a complete game in game one for the win and Ashlyn Roberts earning the start in game two with Kiana Spencer credited with the 8-7 loss in the game.
GAME 1:
Nevada plated two in the top of the first to open the scoring, but the Lobos quickly answered in the bottom half of the inning on a Robinson leadoff single to left followed by an O’Grady home run to left field on a 2-1 count. A quick pitching change by Nevada didn’t appear to stop UNM with Hathoot reaching on an error by the third baseman and a walk by Briana Martinez, with both advancing to second and third on a passed ball. However, a double play following Wilmert reaching base on a fielder’s choice ended any opportunity for further runs.
The Wolf Pack regained the lead in the top of the second before UNM again answered in its at-bats, with designated player Diamond Sandoval leading off with a walk followed by a Young single and a sacrifice bunt by Robinson. With two on and one out, O’Grady hit her second home run in her second at-bat of the game, this time launching the first pitch of the at-bat over the wall in center to clear the bases and put UNM in front 5-3.
Nevada scored one more run in the top of the third before the Lobos exploded for seven runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth to put the game in run-rule territory.
As aforementioned, Young led off with a home run to the bleachers in left field on the fifth pitch of her at-bat, with Robinson adding an extra base hit on a double that squeezed just inside the first base line. O’Grady drew a four-pitch walk followed by a full count walk by Howard to load the bases. Nevada brought back in starting pitcher Blake Craft, with the right-hander walking Hathoot on a full count to bring in another run.
Martinez grounded out to second for the first out of the inning, but the placement of the hit allowed O’Grady to score and advance the runners up 60 feet. Wilmert kept the inning going with a single to left and a fielding error by the Wolf Pack outfielder plated both Hathoot and Howard and allowed Wilmert to take second. Tuck hit a double to right field to score Wilmert and Young added a two-out double of her own to right center to bring around Tuck for the final run of the inning.
Guindon worked quickly to retire the side in the top of the fifth for the Lobo win and her seventh complete game of the season.
GAME 2:
Much like game one, the Wolf Pack scored in the top of the first and added a run in the third to take the early lead.
Martinez was inches away from putting the Lobos on the board in the bottom of the second with a hit to left that barely missed clearing the wall, racing all the way around the bases for a triple, her first as a Lobo.
The Lobos needed just one swing in the bottom of the third to take the lead. Simons led off with a single up the middle, stealing second on the next at-bat. A sacrifice bunt by Robinson moved Simons over to third but also recorded the second out of the inning. However, O’Grady reached on a hit-by-pitch to keep the inning going and Howard unloaded on the first pitch of her at-bat for a three-run home run and a 3-2 Lobo lead.
After a scoreless fourth inning with neither team able to have any batter reach base, Nevada regained the lead on a two-out, three-run home run by Kenzi Goins.
With O’Grady starting off the bottom of the sixth, the Lobos plated four runs on four hits to re-take the lead at 7-5.
The senior led off with a walk to set the stage for a one-out Hathoot home run to left field that tied the game at five.
With two outs, Wilmert singled to left center and was brought around on a Tuck double to left that hit off the wall. Simons followed with a hard hit to the middle of the infield, with the second baseman diving to keep the ball in the infield but was hit well enough for Tuck to score.
Nevada loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, beating out a throw to first to the put the leadoff hitter on base, a walk on a full count and a bunt in which the hitter again beat out the throw. A bases-loaded walk brought in the first run before a fielder’s choice to Martinez at third recorded the first out but tied the game and left runners on the corners. A grounder to Hathoot at second scored the runner at third for the go-ahead run at 8-7.
O’Grady hit a one-out single to right in the bottom of the seventh to try to start a rally, but the Lobos were unable to add any hits in the inning for the 8-7 final.
The Lobos close out the series with the Wolf Pack on Sunday at noon on the Mountain West Network.