Lobos Even Series with Rams Behind Complete Game from Guindon and Bramson Home Run
FORT COLLINS, Colo.— Emma Bramson put the Lobos on the board with a two-run home run in the first and New Mexico bookended Saturday’s game with two insurance runs in the seventh to even the series against Colorado State in a 4-2 win.
The Lobos never trailed in game two, as Emma Guindon held the Rams in check in the circle, throwing a complete game (her fourth of the season) and allowed just three hits, striking out three hitters and walking one.
Debuting a new lineup, UNM started off firing with leadoff hitter Ashley Archuleta singling up the middle on the first pitch of the game and Bramson following up with a two-run home run that benefitted from the ball hitting the Ram left fielder’s glove and landing over the fence. It was the freshman’s sixth home run of the season.
UNM continued to get to CSU starter Jetta Nannen with Taryn Young singling up the middle and Leslie Romero hitting the first pitch she saw through the right side of the infield to put runners on the corners with one out. CSU went to the bullpen to make a pitching change, which ended the early Lobo threat, but not before the Lobos took the early 2-0 lead on four hits.
Guindon and the Lobo defense retired the side in order in the bottom half of the inning before CSU cut the lead in half with a one-out home run in the second. However, it was the only hit that Guindon and the Lobos allowed until the seventh as UNM retired the side in order in the third and retired nine consecutive hitters between the fourth and sixth innings, with a CSU baserunner only reaching on a leadoff walk in the fourth.
Holding a one-run lead heading into the seventh, the Lobos rallied with two outs to add two insurance runs, which started with Young reaching on a hit-by-pitch. Romero drove the first pitch she saw to the gap in right center to bring in Young from first for the 3-1 lead and Briana Martinez was intentionally walked to keep the inning going. Reyan Tuck hit the ball back to the pitcher, with the ball hitting off of the glove and rolled towards the shortstop, with the Ram infielder unable to record an out to load the bases. Savana Martinez worked a full count, drawing the walk to score Romero for the second run of the inning.
The Ram leadoff batter reached on a single through the left side of the infield for their first hit since the second inning, but the lead runner was eliminated on the next play on a fielder’s choice to Martinez at third who threw to Archuleta at second for the out. A double to the gap in left center scored CSU’s second run, but the defense prevented anything further on a fly ball to Peyton Robinson in left for the second out and a ball back to Guindon in the circle, with the Lobo throwing to Tuck at first for the final out.
Romero finished 2-for-4 at the plate with one RBI and Bramson led with two RBI on her line hit of the game. UNM drew six walks in the game, led by Andrea Howard with two, one of which was intentional.
With the win, the Lobos improve to 22-15 on the season, 2-6 in the Mountain West and snapped a three-game losing streak.