Lobo Rally Comes Up Short in Friday Loss to Rebels
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos scored three runs on five hits in the bottom of the seventh, but the rally came up short as New Mexico fell 7-5 in Friday’s series opener against UNLV.
DeNae Vasquez-Dickson hit her first collegiate home run to start the inning with Keyannah Chavez following up with a single to right and Chloe Yeatts hitting the 3-1 pitch to the bleachers in right for her fifth home run of the season to cut the deficit to two runs with no outs, forcing a Rebel pitching change. Ashley Archuleta recorded her fourth hit of the game on a single to center for the fourth consecutive Lobo to reach to bring the tying run to the plate, but a strikeout and a fielder’s choice left UNM down to its final out with a runner still on first. Elizabeth Baylor kept the inning going on a single up the middle to put the tying run on, however, a fielder’s choice for the third out ended the game.
Vasquez-Dickson and Yeatts’ home runs were the second consecutive game that UNM has hit two home runs in an inning, with Chavez and Yeatts hitting back-to-back in Tuesday’s game against UTEP.
Archuleta went a career-best 4-4 at the plate, which included an 11-pitch at-bat in the fifth inning with four consecutive foul balls before the junior singled to left field to score Chavez from third as part of a two-run inning to put the Lobos on the board.
In total, UNM had 12 hits on the night with seven different players recording at least one and Baylor going 2-2 and Chavez 2-3. Of the 12 hits, three were for extra bases as Chavez tripled in the fifth to score UNM’s first run and Vasquez-Dickson and Yeatts homered in the seventh.
UNLV scored the opening run of the game in the top of the first, with UNM having a chance to respond in the bottom of the third. After a Hayden Luderer leadoff bunt was overturned, Sydney Carithers drew a walk to turn the lineup over with Rachael Hathoot laying down a bunt and beating out the throw to put two on. Both runners were able to advance on a wild pitch with Chavez working back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk and load the bases with two outs. The Lobos were unable to push any runs across as a fielder’s choice ended the inning to leave them loaded.
A Rebel home run in the fourth made it 2-0, with the visitors doubling the lead in the fifth inning before the Lobos answered with two of their own in the home half of the fifth on two hits. Hathoot reached on a hit-by-pitch with a fielder’s choice resulting in the second out. Chavez hit a ball to the gap in left center with the ball reaching the wall to allow Vasquez-Dickson to score from first, and following a four-pitch walk by Yeatts, Archuleta battled with 11 pitches before putting the ball in play on a single to left field, taking second on a fielding error by the Rebel outfielder. A fielder’s choice again ended the inning, leaving two stranded.
UNLV scored two runs in the sixth on a hit to center that scored two runners and a final run in the seventh to set the stage for UNM’s rally in the bottom half.
Taylor Snow got the start in the circle, going 5.1 innings and throwing two scoreless frames that included retiring five-straight Rebels between the second and third inning before being replaced in the sixth inning by McKenna Guest. Guest retired the first two Rebels to end the inning with two runners left on and struck out two in the seventh.
Schedule update: due to forecasted weather in the area on Sunday, the Lobos and Rebels will conclude the series on Saturday with a doubleheader. The first game will remain at its scheduled 1 p.m. MT start time with the second game to follow 30 minutes after the conclusion.