Lobos Drop Two on Saturday
EL PASO, Texas- The Lobos dropped a pair of games on Saturday, falling to Santa Clara 7-2 and Texas Tech by a score of 12-7.
Keyannah Chavez went a combined 4-7 from the plate with a double and an RBI to lead the Lobos, while Loran Walker recorded a team-high three RBI in the game against Texas Tech after getting the start at catcher. Moving up in the lineup against Texas Tech, Rachael Hathoot hit her second triple of the weekend and accounted for two RBI on the day.
GAME 1: SANTA CLARA
Designated as the home team, the Lobos got out of the top of the inning with a double play and had two runners reach base after an error by the shortstop and a walk, but couldn’t push a run across. The Broncos were the first on the board in the third, plating two runs and added a run in the fourth.
While aided by two Santa Clara errors and a walk, UNM was unable to get the bats going until the fifth inning with Chavez breaking through on a bunt. Hathoot reached on the next at-bat on an error and Walker singled to left to load the bases. Coming in to pinch hit, Olivia Birkinshaw got the Lobos on the board with a grounder to second that allowed Chavez to score before the inning came to an end with two runners left on.
However, Santa Clara went on to score four runs in the top of the sixth to take a 7-1 lead. UNM got a run back in the bottom half of the inning with Chloe Yeatts hitting a one-out single to the outfield and Emma Bramson drawing a walk, with Bramson moving all the way to third on a fielder’s choice and wild pitch. Chavez brought her in with a single through the right side for the final run of the game.
Chavez led the Lobos with a 2-3 outing at the plate, accounting for half of UNM’s hits in the game. As a team, New Mexico had two runners reach on a walk and tallied four hits, and left six runners on base.
In the circle, Emmalyn Brinka got the ball to start and went 3.2 innings before being replaced by Samantha Fohrman who went 2.0. Taylor Snow threw 1.1 and as a staff, the trio combined for eight strikeouts and five walks.
GAME 2: TEXAS TECH
Immediately following the Santa Clara game, the Lobos were back on the field against the Red Raiders, with Texas Tech scoring two runs on two hits in the top of the first. New Mexico got a run back in the bottom of the first with Peyton Robinson reaching on an error by the Texas Tech third baseman and taking second to lead off. Two at-bats later, Lauren Garcia reached on an error by the shortstop that moved Robinson to third, and on the following at-bat, an error and obstruction call allowed Robinson to score.
Texas Tech added two runs in the second and two in the third, with the Lobos responding with four runs in the fourth to make it a one-run game.
Chavez got UNM going with a single to left and Birkinshaw entered to pinch hit, getting hit by a pitch to reach base. With the lineup turning over, Robinson laid down a bunt and reached to load the bases and Hathoot scored Chavez on a single through the right side of the infield. Walker kept the hits going with a single to center that scored Robinson and Birkinshaw and with two outs, the Lobos pulled off a double steal with Walker breaking for second and Hathoot for home with both reaching safely to make it 6-5.
After neither team scored in the fifth, the Red Raiders pushed six runs across in the sixth on six hits. UNM added two runs in the bottom of the sixth after Ashley Archuleta reached on an error and Hathoot tripled. Hathoot was the final Lobo to score following a sacrifice fly to center by Walker.
The Lobos registered eight hits in the game with three players recording two hits apiece (Robinson, Hathoot and Chavez). Walker finished with three RBI and Hathoot two. Amber Linton got the start in the circle, going 3.1 innings before being replaced by Snow, who pitched 3.0 innings. Brinka pitched 0.2 innings.
UP NEXT: UNM closes out the weekend with two games against UTEP, with the first game set for noon and the second game to follow.