Lobos Win Against Houston, Fall at ASU to Split Friday
TEMPE, Ariz.— UNM scored seven unanswered runs with two runs in the third, two in the fifth and three in the sixth for the 7-1 win over Houston in the first game on Friday before falling to No. 23 Arizona State in the second game.
Four players recorded multiple hits, with Rachael Hathoot 3-3, Keyannah Chavez, Lauren Garcia and Emma Bramson registering two hits apiece, and Garcia and Bramson leading with two RBI each against the Cougars, while Amber Linton threw her seventh complete game of the season, striking out a career-high 12 batters and allowed one run on three hits.
Linton was solid from the start, striking out three of the first five Houston hitters, while also recording an out on a ground ball back to the circle.
However, Houston got on the board in the top of the second on a walk, groundout that moved the runner and a two-out single down the right-field line. The Lobos limited the Cougars to just one run in the inning after Houston had runners on second and third following a fielding error on a ground ball back to Linton.
UNM had a chance to tie the game with two walks in the bottom of the inning but the runners were left on after a fly ball to center ended the inning. The Lobos broke through in the bottom of the third, scoring two runs on four hits with the top of the order delivering the timely hits.
Chavez reached on a bunt and Hathoot followed it up with a single through the left side to put two on with one out. Garcia recorded the third consecutive hit on a single through the left side that drove in Chavez to tie the game and Bramson gave the Lobos the lead with a single to center field that scored Hathoot.
Meanwhile, Linton retired seven-straight Cougars between the third and the fifth that included four strikeouts to allow UNM to maintain the lead before the Lobos extended the margin in the fifth and sixth.
The Lobos added another run in the fifth following a leadoff single by Hathoot and a double down the third-base line by Garcia that scored Hathoot, with Garcia taking third on a throwing error. A sacrifice fly by Bramson to center allowed Garcia to tag for the second run of the inning.
Linton struck out the side in the sixth to tie her career high in strikeouts with 11, and at the plate New Mexico needed just two at-bats to plate another run in what turned into a three runs on three hits inning.
In the bottom of the inning, Robinson led off with a four-pitch walk and stole second (her ninth of the season) and a double by Chavez scored Robinson to make it 5-1. Hathoot laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Chavez over and a single by Chloe Yeatts on the next at-bat scored Chavez. A single by Bramson moved Yeatts up to second, a walk for Jenna Trim loaded the bases and a fielding error on Maddie Boldt’s at-bat allowed Yeatts to score for the final run of the inning and the game.
Taking a 7-1 lead into the seventh, Linton worked around a one-out walk, closing the game on another strikeout to give the junior her career high and a fly ball to Boldt in right for the final out.
GAME 2: ARIZONA STATE
The No. 23 Sun Devils scored one run in each of their six at-bats in the 6-2 win, but the Lobos had their chances in the second game of the day.
UNM had its leadoff hitter reach in three innings, the first coming on a Garcia single down the left-field line to start the second, with Garcia reaching second on a passed ball before being left on base.
In the third inning and down 2-0, Ashley Archuleta singled up the middle and moved to second on a grounder by Peyton Robinson. With two outs, Chavez hit a ball back up the middle with ASU throwing out Archuleta at home for the final out of the inning.
The Lobos got on the board in the fourth with Hathoot leading off with a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. A Garcia groundout moved Hathoot to third and Bramson brought her in on a single back up the middle for the 3-1 score.
UNM had its best opportunity of the game in the fifth inning after two walks and a single by Archuleta loaded the bases with no one out. However, a fly out to center wasn’t deep enough to allow Boldt to tag from third and a strikeout prevented anyone from advancing. The Lobos were able to get a run on a fielding error by the Sun Devils, with Hathoot fouling off four-straight pitches before putting the ball in play resulting in the error and Boldt scoring. ASU got the third out on the next at-bat, leaving the bases loaded.
ASU added one final run in the sixth and the Lobos were retired in order in the top of the seventh for the final score.
Chandler, Arizona native Emmalyn Brinka got the start against the Sun Devils and went 3.0 innings before Jenna Trim entered for 2.0 innings. Trim turned the ball over to Taylor Snow in the sixth, who pitched the rest of the way.
UP NEXT: The Lobos head to Phoenix on Saturday to face Washington at 11 a.m. and GCU at 4 p.m.