Four-Run Fourth Propels UNM to Series Win over Broncos
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M— The University of New Mexico Lobos hit two home runs in the bottom of the fourth to regain the lead over Boise State in Sunday’s series finale, ultimately proving to be the difference in UNM’s 6-3 win, clinching the series win.
With the win, the Lobos have won three of their last five games and won a Mountain West series for the first time since May 2018 when UNM took two out of three against San Diego State. In addition, it was the first series win over Boise State since 2016.
A Lauren Wilmert solo home run to the deepest part of Lobo Softball Field with one out broke the 2-all tie and Cameryn O’Grady continued her strong series at the plate with a three-run shot that cleared the bleachers in right.
In total, five of UNM’s eight hits occurred in the fourth with the all nine Lobo batters getting an at-bat in the inning.
Unlike the previous two games in the series against the Broncos, the Lobos were the first to get into the scoring column with the aid of precise hitting and gutsy play calling on the base paths.
After Lobo starting pitcher Ashlyn Roberts kept the Broncos off the board to start the game, Peyton Robinson started the Lobos off with a single to left field and stole a base. O’Grady hit a hard shot back to the pitcher, ricocheting off the Bronco starting pitcher Taylor Caudill and rolling to the third baseman who was unable to get O’Grady at first. O’Grady stole second on the next at-bat to put two runners in scoring position, and two at-bats later, Rachael Hathoot laid down a textbook bunt with Robinson beating out the throw by the pitcher home for the first run.
With runners on the corners, Hathoot baited the Broncos into the second run of the inning, attempting to steal second and getting into a rundown, which allowed O’Grady to easily cross home plate.
Boise State cut into the deficit with a leadoff home run by Bella Rocco in the second, but Roberts limited the damage, and not only got out of the inning with the lead still intact but shut down the Broncos in order in the third.
The Broncos tied the game in the fourth starting with a leadoff walk, the final batter that Roberts faced before Emma Guindon entered in relief.
Rocco singled to right to put runners on the corners and pinch runner Clarissa Moreno stole second for two runners in scoring position with no one out. A liner to Briana Martinez produced the first out, but Alison Seng followed up with a single to right field to bring in the tying run. However, on the play, Taryn Young threw a dart to Wilmert at home, with the catcher applying the tag on Moreno trying to score from second to keep the game tied.
UNM answered in the bottom half of the inning starting with Wilmert’s home run. Young walked on an eight-pitch at-bat to bring up the top of the order and Robinson laid down another perfect bunt out of the reach of BSU pitcher Sara Johnson to bring up O’Grady, who got ahold of the 2-2 pitch and launched it over the right field wall to give UNM the 6-2 lead.
The Lobos kept passing the bat, with Andrea Howard reaching on a well-placed bunt and Hathoot singling to right, but the Lobos were unable to tack on any more runs to their lead.
Guindon retired the side in the fifth before the Broncos scored a final run in the sixth on a triple to right field and a double to left field.
Down to the final three outs in the top of the seventh, the Broncos again threatened with a leadoff double to center and a hit-by-pitch that put the first two hitters on. Guindon and the Lobo defense closed the door with a fly ball to Robinson in left, a pop up to Hathoot at second and a ground ball to O’Grady at shortstop, who threw to Hathoot at second for the final out.
As mentioned, UNM finished with eight hits in the game as O’Grady and Robinson each recorded two hits. Howard, Hathoot, Wilmert and Reyan Tuck each tallied a hit to round out the day. Young, O’Grady and Izabella Owen each reached on a walk, with Wilmert also reaching base on a hit-by-pitch.
In the circle, Roberts pitched 3.0 innings with two runs allowed on three hits and Guindon threw the final 4.0 innings with one run allowed on five hits and recorded one strikeout. The duo allowed just one walk and retired the side in two innings.
The Lobos return to the road for their next series to face San Diego State in a three-game series starting Saturday, May 1.