Lobos Defeat Bison 6-4 to Improve to 8-3
ALBUQERQUE, N.M.— Another night, another victory for the New Mexico softball team, as the Lobos defeated the North Dakota State Bison 6-4 on Friday night to conclude day two of the Lobo Classic.
Leading off as the designated player, freshman Ashley Archuleta went a team-best 3-for-4 at the plate, while five different Lobos contributed one RBI in the win.
In the circle, Emma Guindon got the start, going 5.1 innings before making way for Ashlyn Roberts, who pitched 1.0 innings before Amber Linton came in to close in the seventh to record the final two outs.
The Lobos started the scoring early, putting five runs on the board in the bottom of the first behind four hits and three walks.
Archuleta started off the inning with a single to shortstop, with Leslie Romero following up with a single through the left side and Emma Bramson walking following a full count to lead the bases with one out. Taryn Young drew another walk, also on a fill count, to score the first run of the game. Briana Martinez kept the rally going with a single to center that scored Romero for the 2-0 lead and Reyan Tuck walked to bring Bramson in. A wild pitch scored Young and Alexis Vigil hit in the final run of the inning on a single to left field.
Guindon and the Lobo defense kept the Bison off the bases until the third inning, when a two-out walk provided their first baserunner. However, a popup to Tuck at first ended the inning.
NDSU got on the board in the top of the fourth on a single to center field that scored the runner from second, but the Lobos promptly answered with a run of their own in their half of the inning on an Archuleta single to left field, and was able to reach third on a fielding error by the left fielder. Andrea Howard brought her in on a sacrifice fly to left center for the 6-1 Lobo lead.
The Bison added two more runs in the sixth and a run in the seventh on a single up the middle, a double down the left-field line and a grounder to second that scored the runner from third. The Bison had the tying run at the plate with a runner on third, but the Lobos got the final out on a grounder to Martinez at shortstop, who threw to Tuck at first for the out.
Guindon struck out two and walked two in the win, with the Lobo pitcher improving to 4-1 on the season, while Linton earned her second save of the season after retiring the two batters she faced.
The Lobos improved to 8-3 on the season and return to the diamond to face Buffalo on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Admission for the game is free.