Lobos Shutout Rebels for Saturday Split
LAS VEGAS— Behind stellar pitching from junior Emma Guindon and freshman Ashlyn Roberts and a clutch hit from sophomore infielder Rachael Hathoot in the sixth inning, The University of New Mexico won the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader 1-0 to even the series with the UNLV Rebels.
Guindon started both games, throwing a total of 11.2 innings with Roberts closing with 1.1 scoreless innings. The duo allowed just two walks on the day, while Guindon struck out four batters and Roberts giving up just two hits.
GAME 2:
Guindon made her second start of the day, keeping UNLV off the board for 5.2 innings and allowing three hits and one walk while striking out one. Two of those hits came in the bottom of the first with the Rebels leaving two runners in scoring position before a line out to Andrea Howard in center to end the inning.
The right-handed pitcher retired the side in the second and third, with the Lobos getting to starting pitcher Charlie Masterson with three hits in the first four innings.
After another clean inning for Guindon in the bottom of the fifth, shortstop Cameryn O’Grady hit a one-out single to right with Howard reaching on a fielder’s choice with O’Grady recording the second out at second. Following a foul ball to start the at-bat, Hathoot made contact and hit the ball down the right field line for a double with Howard moving to third. However, on the play, an error by the second baseman allowed Howard to safely run home and Hathoot to move to third for the 1-0 Lobo lead.
The Rebels tried to answer in the bottom half of the inning with a one-out single by Lauren Tycksen, who moved all the way around to third on a stolen base and a wild pitch. A walk to put runners on the corners led to Roberts entering the game to pitch in relief of Guindon with two outs and the freshman induced a fly ball to Howard in center to get out of the inning.
UNM had another chance to add to its lead in the seventh with Samantha Simons hitting a two-out single to center. Taryn Young followed with a hit to the gap in right center, but Simons was thrown out trying to score on the play.
Down to the final three outs, a fly out to Peyton Robinson recorded the first out before the Rebels hit a single to left to put the tying run on base. A foul out to Briana Martinez at third tallied the second out but a single to right meant runners on the corners. On a 0-1 count, the Rebels hit a fly ball to Howard in center for the final out and the Lobo win.
Roberts threw the final 1.1 innings, allowing just two hits in the save.
UNM outhit UNLV 7-5 with O’Grady and Martinez recording two singles each and Hathoot, Simons and Young each recording one. Young and Hathoot each had extra-base hits with doubles, the fifth of the season for Hathoot and the third for Young.
GAME 1:
The Lobos were unable to generate any hits off of starting UNLV pitcher Jenny Bressler in game one, but reached base with six walks, with the Rebels finishing with nine hits and five runs.
Lauren Wilmert tied her career high in walks with three, followed by two walks for O’Grady and one walk for Robinson.
UNM had two runners reach base in the first with a full-count walk for O’Grady and Hathoot being hit by a pitch. However, a strikeout left both runners on. The Lobos again had a runner reach on a leadoff Wilmert walk in the second, with the Lobo catcher walking again in the fourth with two outs.
The Lobos had runners reach in the final two innings with O’Grady and Wilmer walking to lead off the innings, but UNM wasn’t able to build off of getting runners on.
UNLV got on the board in the bottom of the first and added one run in the third and three runs in the fifth.
Guindon threw her eighth complete game of the season, with three strikeouts and one walk.
UNM closes out the series with UNLV on Sunday at 1 p.m. MT on the Mountain West Network.