Lobos Record Season-High 16 Hits in Win Against Maine as UNM Splits Day Two
ST. GEORGE, Utah — The Martinez sisters combined for six hits on day two of the Dixie State Tournament, with Briana Martinez hitting .800 and a 1.400 slugging percentage and Savana Martinez hitting .667 with a 1.000 slugging percentage, leading the Lobos at the plate as UNM split the day.
Briana was one of three Lobos to finish with two RBI in the 10-2 win over Maine, joined by Diamond Sandoval and Reyan Tuck. Briana finishing 2-for-2 with a home run and two walks and Savana 2-for-3, tallying her first collegiate hit and RBI on the same at-bat.
Peyton Robinson led the Lobos with five hits between the two games against Wisconsin and Maine, going 4-for-5 against the Black Bears in the leadoff spot in the lineup, and B. Martinez had four hits on the day.
GAME 1
The Lobos hung tough with the Badgers for the first four innings, holding Wisconsin off the board and allowing just two hits. When the Badgers did break through in the fifth with an RBI double, the Lobos responded to even the score in the bottom half. However, UW re-took the lead with a two-run home run in the sixth that proved to be the difference in the 3-1 loss.
Wisconsin put five runners on between the first two innings, but each time the Lobo defense came through to get out of the inning, both times on strikeouts by Amber Linton. Linton struck out the side in the third and retired the side in order in the fourth, before two hit-by-pitches to start the fifth led to a Badger run.
In the bottom half of the inning, B. Martinez singled up the middle and advanced to second on the next at-bat. Archuleta made contact and hit the ball hard towards the third baseman, with the infielder unable to catch it or cleanly field it. The Badger attempted to throw to third to get Martinez, but the ball got away, allowing Martinez to score to tie the game.
The Badgers answered with a double followed by a two-run home run for the 3-1 lead, and from there on, the Lobos were unable to get any baserunners on to bring the tying run to the plate.
Linton started in the circle, exited in the fifth in place of McKenna Kostyszyn and re-entered in the sixth to replace the freshman, ultimately pitching 4.0 innings in the loss to move to 7-3 on the season. Linton struck out five and walked one. Kostyszyn pitched 1.1 innings, allowing two hits and one run, Brianna Sanchez pitched 0.2 inning, striking out one on two batters faced and Emma Guindon pitched 1.0 inning, striking out one and walking one.
Martinez led the way at the plate, going 2-for-3 and scored the Lobo run, while Andrea Howard walked twice to account for the two Lobo walks.
GAME 2
The Lobo bats showed up against the Black Bears, with the Lobos finishing with a season-high 16 hits and scoring 10 runs that included at least one run in the final four innings.
Kostyszyn got the nod in the circle for her first collegiate start against Maine, pitching a scoreless inning in the first before giving up two runs in the second. Of note, the Martinez sisters combined for throwing out a runner, with Savana throwing to Briana, who tagged the runner in the first for the second out.
UNM started stringing hits together in the fourth inning with three hits leading to two runs to tie the game, with the bottom of the lineup serving as the catalyst. B. Martinez walked following a nine-pitch at-bat with Tuck moving her over on a liner to right center. Serving as the designated player, Sandoval came through with a hard-hit triple off the wall in center for the first run and her first career triple, and S. Martinez scored the second run on a single to right, the first collegiate hit and RBI for the redshirt-freshman catcher.
After Guindon, who entered to pitch in relief in the second, retired the side in the fourth, B. Martinez gave UNM the lead with a solo home run to right center for her second home run of the season.
UNM again sat down Maine in order in the fifth and the Lobos exploded for six runs on five hits in the sixth to break the game open. S. Martinez led off with a double to the gap in center and Robinson reached on a bunt while moving Martinez over to third. Robinson stole second to put two runners in scoring position and Howard brought both in on a hit that went through the legs of the second baseman. Entering to pinch hit, Savannah Braun drew a walk and Taryn Young flied out to right, which allowed Howard to tag to third. B. Martinez kept the inning going with a single down the left-field line to score Howard and Tuck followed with a double down the left-field line that scored Braun, with B. Martinez scoring on the play as well after a throwing error by the left fielder. Sandoval scored the final run of the inning with a single up the middle to score Tuck from second.
The Lobos added one final run in the seventh on a Howard double and Olivia Birkinshaw single through the left side for the 10-2 final.
Guindon earned the win to improve to 9-1 on the season, going 5.1 innings with one hit allowed and one walk while striking out four.
The Lobos now stand at 18-6 on the season and close out the weekend with a final game against Wisconsin at 10 a.m. on Sunday.