Young Hits Two Home Runs but Lobos Fall to Wolf Pack in Game One
RENO, Nev.— Taryn Young tied her career high with two home runs to account for all three runs of Friday’s series opener at Nevada, while Leslie Romero went 3-for-3 at the plate with a career-high two doubles, but errors proved costly as the Lobos lost 7-3 to the Wolf Pack.
Young’s first home run came in the third inning after the Wolf Pack intentionally walked Andrea Howard and Howard tagged to second on Briana Martinez’s fly ball to deep center, giving the Lobos the 2-0 lead.
It is the sixth time this season that UNM has had a player hit two home runs in a game and the second time that Young has hit two home runs in a game with the last coming against California back in 2020. It is also the fourth time in the outfielder’s career that she has had three RBI in a game, and the second time this season.
UNM’s lead was temporary as Nevada scored three yins in the bottom of the third, benefiting from a double and a throwing error by starting pitcher Emma Guindon that resulted in a run scored and the Wolf Pack batter running all the way to third on the play. A sacrifice fly on the next at-bat tied the game at two and consecutive singles scored the third run of the inning for the 3-2 Nevada lead.
Nevada added three runs on three hits in the fourth that stretched the deficit to four, with the Lobos getting a run back in the top of the fifth on a leadoff Young home run over the fence in right center. He Wolf Pack answered with a run in their half of the inning for the final run of the game.
The Lobos left a runner on base in the sixth on a Martinez two-out double and two runs in the sixth after Romero doubled through the left side and Olivia Birkinshaw drew a walk following a full count. UNM left runners on base every inning, leaving a total of 12 runners on in the game, compared to six for Nevada.
Howard was intentionally walked twice while also reaching on a hit-by-pitch.
Guindon went 4.2 innings in the loss, striking out five while allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks.
Game two of the series is set for noon PT/ 1 p.m. MT on Saturday.