Hathoot Homers as Lobos Fall to Rebels Sunday
LAS VEGAS, Nev.— Rachael Hathoot opened the scoring of Sunday’s game against UNLV with a solo home run over the wall in left field in the fourth inning and brought in the second run on a hit-by-pitch with bases loaded an inning later to make it a one-run game, but the Rebels took the series finale 4-2.
Emma Guindon got the start for the third time in the series, showing no fatigue early retiring the side in two of the first three innings and allowing just one hit in the second, ultimately throwing 3.2 innings. The junior was responsible for a total of three hits and three runs, one earned, in her 23rd appearance of the season and 22nd start.
After UNLV starting pitcher Jenny Bressler threw a no-hitter against the Lobos in game one, UNM got to the Rebel early with Andrea Howard hitting a single up the middle. Lauren Wilmert earned her fourth walk of the series in the second inning, drawing a full count, to provide another opportunity for the Lobos to put pressure on the right-hander, but neither team was able to plate a run through the first three innings.
Hathoot drove the 2-1 pitch to left field, clearing the wall for the one-out solo home run to give UNM the 1-0 lead, recording her second home run of the season. Briana Martinez followed with a walk to put another runner on, and was left standing on second as the top half of the inning came to a close.
UNLV tied the game in the bottom half of the fourth, aided by an error by the Lobos.
The leadoff batter singled to left and on the next at-bat, an errant throw from Martinez to second on the fielder’s choice allowed the runner to take third. A stolen base put two runners in scoring position and a single up the middle brought both runners in. UNLV added one more run off of a sacrifice fly in which Howard reached over the outfield wall to make the grab, however the runner on second was able to tag and score off a misplay on the transfer from Howard’s glove as she went to throw the ball in.
Down 3-1, the Lobos responded to load the bases in the fifth with a two-out rally. Turning the lineup over, Peyton Robinson drew a walk following a full count, followed by a four-pitch walk for Cameryn O’Grady and a five-pitch walk for Howard. Hathoot wore the second pitch of her at-bat to score Robinson which made it 3-2, but unfortunately that was all the Lobos could bring in.
The Rebels got the run back in the bottom of the inning off of a sacrifice fly to Robinson in left before Talia Hannappel relieved Ashlyn Roberts and recorded the final out of the inning, needing just two pitches.
Hannappel worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth to keep it a two-run game with Young, Robinson and O’Grady due up. O’Grady singled through the right side to bring the tying run to the plate, but the Lobos were unable to extend the game with a liner to short ending the game.
UNM hosts Boise State for its next series starting Saturday, April 24.