Howard Makes Program History as Lobos Fall to Utah State Sunday
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Program history was made on Sunday afternoon at Lobo Softball Field as Albuquerque native Andrea Howard hit the 40th home run of her career to set the program record.
The UNM senior hit a two-run home run to the bleachers in right field for her 11th home run this season, while Ashley Archuleta accounted for the other two runs in the game, going 2-for-3 at the plate for two RBI. However, the Lobos fell 13-4 in six innings to Utah State in the final game of the series.
Both teams scored a run in the first, with the Aggies scoring on a passed ball and the Lobos needing just two at-bats to even the score. Peyton Robinson led off the bottom of the inning with a blooper that fell in left field, with Robinson using her speed to turn it into a double. Archuleta hit a single back up the middle to score Robinson and tie the game on the following at-bat, but the Lobos couldn’t string together anymore hits to leave Archuleta standing on first.
USU regained the lead in the third on a double to left and a single to right center, and added another run two at-bats later with a single to left field for the 3-1 lead.
The Aggies added another run in the fourth on another double and single to the outfield, and added four runs in the fifth, taking advantage of two UNM errors and a passed ball.
UNM put together a two-out rally by the top of the lineup to score three runs in the bottom half of the fifth. Robinson laid down a bunt, with the catcher fielding the ball and overthrew the second baseman covering first, racing all the way around to third on the play. Archuleta singled up the middle to score Robinson and Howard drove the 1-0 pitch to the stands for two more runs to cut the deficit to four.
However, Utah State scored five runs in the sixth on three hits and an error to put the game into run-rule territory. Diamond Sandoval doubled down the right-field line in the bottom of the inning and moved to third, but the Lobos were unable to get the necessary runs to extend the game.
The Lobos used four pitchers in the game, with Amber Linton getting the start and went a combined 3.2 innings. Linton struck out four while allowing one walk, four hits, five runs (three earned). Brianna Sanchez pitched an inning, striking out one and allowing one walk and one run on two hits.
The Lobos fall to 20-12 on the season and 1-5 in the MW. UNM next heads to Provo, Utah for a three-game series with BYU starting Thursday, March 31.