Lobos Close Series with Win Behind Howard Home Run
RENO, Nev.—The Nevada Wolf Pack pitched to Andrea Howard on Sunday and the Lobo took advantage of it, showcasing why she’s among the best in the Mountain West by launching the ball well over the right field wall to tie the game at three in the third inning.
In doing so, Howard sparked the Lobos to a 6-3 win to close the series with Emma Bramson delivering on a single to the outfield to score Taryn Young from second to put New Mexico in front for good on five unanswered runs.
Amber Linton threw her sixth complete game of the season, finishing with seven strikeouts and allowing three runs on seven hits.
Moving into the top spot of the lineup, Howard led off the game with an intentional walk, followed by a walk for Ashley Archuleta. Taryn Young moved both runners over on a grounder to second and Leslie Romero brought in the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Howard from third.
Nevada answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning and added a run in the second for the 3-1 lead, which the Lobos promptly answered with three runs on four hits in the third.
Robinson led off with a bunt to turn over the lineup for Howard. Not waiting to see if the Wolf Pack would walk her, Howard drove the first ball she saw well over the wall in right field to tie the game at three. Young walked two at-bats later, with Romero moving her over to second on a grounder to second. Bramson drove the second pitch she saw in her at-bat to right field to score Young as the Lobos regained the lead.
UNM kept the momentum with Linton recording all three outs on strikeouts to leave two runners on, and the Lobos added two more runs in the fourth on two hits. Robinson again started the inning, reaching on an infield single and Howard was intentionally walked to put the first two runners on. Archuleta delivered a perfectly placed ball that fell within fair territory in left field to score Robinson with Howard sliding safely into third. Young hit a sacrifice fly to right field with Howard tagging from third for the 6-3 Lobo lead.
The defense stepped up with some web gems in the bottom of the fourth with Reyan Tuck diving to first to tag the bag after keeping the ball from reaching the outfield. With a runner now on second, Briana Martinez snagged a liner at third, firing to Archuleta at second for the inning-ending double play.
With the score holding at 6-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Nevada had its first batter reach on a single to center before UNM got the next two batters out on a fly ball to Howard in center and Romero holding on to a foul tip for the third strike and second out. Nevada had another runner reach to put the tying run at the plate with two outs, but a grounder to Tuck ended the game as Tuck stepped on first.
Howard was intentionally walked three times in the game and led the Lobos with two RBI, with Archuleta, Young, Romero and Bramson each accounting for one. Robinson went 2-for-3 at the plate with Howard, Archuleta, Bramson and Martinez each recording one.
The Lobos (25-19, 5-10 MW) return home to host UNLV in a three-game series starting Friday, April 30.