Lobos Split Saturday Games in Lubbock
LUBBOCK, Texas—The Lobos split on Saturday at the Texas Tech Invitational, using a three-run home run by Ashley Archuleta in the top of the sixth to get the 4-1 win over Buffalo before falling to host Texas Tech 14-5 in five in the evening game.
Lauren Garcia led New Mexico with four RBI on the day with three coming against Texas Tech, while Peyton Robinson led with four hits between the two games that included a 3-3 outing against the Red Raiders.
In the circle, Amber Linton earned her third win of the weekend after pitching her ninth complete game of the season against Buffalo and struck out seven.
GAME 1: BUFFALO
The Lobos put a run on the board in the top of the first inning with Robinson leading off with a single and stealing second. Keyannah Chavez sacrificed her over to third and Garcia drove her in with a single through the left side.
While Buffalo tied the game in the bottom of the second, the Bulls had an opportunity to take the lead, however, a relay from Chavez in left to Rachael Hathoot at short to Chloe Yeatts resulted in the Bull being tagged out at home. The Lobos turned a double play to end the inning and keep the score tied.
UNM had a chance to break the tie in the fifth after having two runners in scoring position, but a strikeout ended the Lobo half of the inning with two runners left on. The Bulls had a chance of their own in their half of the inning with a throwing error extending the inning and allowing two runners to reach scoring position, but a Linton strikeout ended the threat.
The Lobos finally broke the tie in the top of the sixth, with Hathoot leading off with a single to right and Olivia Birkinshaw reaching on a hit-by-pitch to set up Archuleta’s home run to right on the 1-2 pitch.
Linton worked around a hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the sixth and retired the first two Bulls in the seventh before Buffalo attempted to mount a rally, bringing the tying run to the plate. However, Linton ended the game with a strikeout for the Lobo win.
Hathoot and Yeatts both recorded multiple hits, going 2-4 and 2-3, respectively, while Archuleta (three) and Garcia (one) accounted for the four Lobo runs.
GAME 2: TEXAS TECH
After Texas Tech scored a run in the bottom of the first, the Lobos responded with three runs on three hits in the third inning. Jenna Trim got it started with a single through the right side, Robinson beat out a bunt and Chavez walked following a full count to load the bases with one out. Hathoot hit a blooper to left that the outfielder couldn’t complete the catch to score Trim. Garcia cleared the bases on the next at-bat with a double to center to put UNM in front.
However, Texas Tech took control of the game in the bottom of the inning with 12 runs.
UNM continued to fight, scoring two runs on four hits in the top of the fourth with Trim hitting her first home run as a Lobo and the top of the lineup reaching to again load the bases. Garcia again delivered with a single through the left side for the second run before the inning came to an end.
Texas Tech added a final run in the bottom of the inning for the final runs of the game.
Robinson went 3-3 at the plate while Garcia and Trim each went 2-3, and Garcia led with three RBI.
UP NEXT: The Lobos close the week with a final game against Texas Tech on Sunday at 11 a.m. MT.