Lobos Open Texas Tech Invitational with Pair of Wins

LUBBOCK, Texas— The Lobos won in different fashions on Friday, recording their third shutout of the season in the first game of the day against Buffalo before needing extra innings to defeat Manhattan, winning 6-0 over the Bulls and 7-6 over the Jaspers, respectively.

UNM had contributions throughout the lineup as three Lobos finished with four hits between the two games in Keyannah Chavez, Lauren Garcia and Peyton Robinson, and four different players finished with two RBI in Chavez, Rachael Hathoot, Maddie Boldt and Olivia Birkinshaw.

In the circle, Amber Linton picked up both wins, pitching her eighth complete game of the season and second complete-game shutout. The Lobo right-hander held the Bulls to three hits while striking out nine, and against Manhattan, entered in the bottom of the seventh and pitched three innings, allowing just one hit and added four more strikeouts. On the day, she threw 10.0 innings, striking out 13 while walking one and allowing just four hits and no runs.

GAME 1: BUFFALO
As the designated home team, UNM got on the board early against the Bulls with a run in the bottom of the first and added a run in the fifth before scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Linton retired the side in order to start the game and Robinson put the Lobos in position to score with a leadoff single to left center and a stolen base. Chavez reached on an infield single and a Garcia infield single loaded the bases with one out. Birkinshaw’s fly ball to right allowed Robinson to tag for the run before the inning came to an end.

Buffalo had its first baserunner reach on a walk in the second and didn’t record its first hit until the fourth inning, with Linton already at seven strikeouts by that point.

UNM added its second run in the fifth with Ashley Archuleta reaching third on an error by the center fielder, and Boldt brought her in on the next play on a single to right field.

For the third time in the game, Linton retired the side in the sixth and the Lobos put the game away in the bottom half with four runs on five hits.

Chavez led off with a single to left, stealing second and taking third on a throwing error, and coming around to score on Garcia’s single through the left side. Birkinshaw followed with a single to right, with pinch runner Grace Rana (for Garcia) advancing to third on a throwing error by the right fielder. Chloe Yeatts scored Rana on a sacrifice fly to right and Archuleta hit a triple down the right field line on the next at-bat to score Birkinshaw. Elizabeth Baylor drove in the final run of the inning on a single down the right field line with Archuleta scoring.

Buffalo led off with a single, but Linton and the Lobo defense preserved the shutout with a fielder’s choice, a flyout to center and a final strikeout by Linton.

Garcia and Chavez each went 2-3 at the plate with eight players recording at least one hit. Six different Lobos accounted for one RBI.

For Linton, it was the second-straight game that the Lobo has finished with nine strikeouts and the third time in four games with nine or more strikeouts.

GAME 2: MANHATTAN
Staying on the field to face Manhattan and now the designated visitors, the Lobos again put a run on the board in the first inning set up by Chavez reaching on a walk, Hathoot hit by a pitch and Garcia hitting a single to right field. While Chavez was thrown out at home on the play, the Lobos pushed a run across on the next at-bat with Birkinshaw scoring Hathoot on a single back up the middle. However, the Jaspers answered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.

The Lobos were quick to answer back, scoring three runs on five hits in the second, starting with a double down the left field line by Boldt. Robinson reached on a bunt and stole second and Chavez cleared the bases with a double to the gap in left center to tie the game at three. Hathoot gave the Lobos the lead with a single through the right side that allowed Chavez to score from second. The Lobos had a chance to add on to their lead with bases loaded, but a fielder’s choice kept it a one-run Lobo advantage.

Manhattan left two runners on in the bottom of the second, with starting pitcher Taylor Snow getting a strikeout for the third out with runners on the corners, however, the Jaspers scored three runs on four hits in the bottom of the third to take the lead back.

Still trailing 6-4, New Mexico had its first four hitters reach in the sixth inning with Hathoot scoring Jenna Trim on a ball that dropped in shallow right field to make it a one-run game before the inning came to an end with bases loaded.

Down to the final two outs and facing a full count, Boldt tied the game on a home run to center for her fourth of the season. Linton entered in the bottom of the seventh and allowed just an infield single before getting outs two and three on swinging strikeouts to send the game to extra innings.

Neither team was able to get a baserunner on in the eighth, sending game to the ninth where the Lobos broke the tie.

Archuleta led off with a single to the outfield and following a fielder’s choice and a flyout to right, Trim kept the inning going with a four-pitch walk. With the lineup turned over, and after fouling off six pitches, Robinson hit a double to right center to score Yeatts from second to give UNM its first lead since 4-3 in the second inning.

Linton left no chance of a rally, retiring the side to secure the 7-6 Lobo win and her second win of the day.

Snow pitched 2.0 innings before Emmalyn Brinka entered to pitch 4.0.

UP NEXT: The Lobos face Buffalo at 9 a.m. MT to start Saturday’s games and close the day against host Texas Tech at 4:30 p.m. MT.