Five-Run Fourth Inning Propels Lobos Past Aggies

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth behind three home runs to take the lead and added another home run in the fifth in the 9-6 win against Utah State in Friday’s series opener.

In total, UNM hit five home runs in the game from five different batters, the first time since 2012 that the Lobos have hit five home runs in a game, and the third time UNM has hit multiple home runs in a game this season.

Additionally, the Lobos hit consecutive home runs for the second time this season, joined by back-to-back home runs by Keyannah Chavez and Chloe Yeatts in the third inning against UTEP on March 19 and hit multiple home runs in an inning for the third time, with UNM hitting two against UNLV on March 22 in the bottom of the seventh.

The nine runs were the most for UNM since Feb. 18 against Marist, when the Lobos scored 10 runs, with the Lobos now 7-1 when scoring six or more runs in a game this season.

Seven different Lobos contributed to the nine hits on the evening while six different Lobos accounted for the nine RBI, led by two RBI each for Ashley Archuleta, DeNae Vasquez-Dickson and Chavez, all of which came on two-run home runs. Yeatts hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth to give UNM back-to-back home runs and Katherine Brunner closed the scoring with a solo home run in the fifth.

Of UNM’s nine hits, seven went for extra bases with Rachael Hathoot hitting a triple to start the bottom of the first and a double by Brunner to lead off the bottom of the fourth. Both Hathoot and Brunner led with two hits in the game with Hathoot extending her on-base streak to 25 games and hit streak to seven games in the process.

Both teams put runs on the board in their first at-bats, with USU scoring three runs and the Lobos manufacturing a run on Hathoot’s leadoff triple that hit off the right field wall and a two-out single to center by Emma Bramson to bring her in.

Entering in relief to begin the second inning, Amber Linton kept the Aggies off the board in the second with Yeatts throwing out her seventh runner on the year for the third out before USU extended its lead to 5-1 on a two-run home run in the third.

However, the Lobos matched the Aggies with a two-run home run of their own after Hathoot was hit by a pitch to start the bottom half and Vasquez-Dickson hit her third home run of the season.

Utah State scored a final run in the top of the fourth, benefitting from a throwing error that allowed a leadoff walk to move around to third and a single to center to score the run before the Lobo bats took over in the home half.

Brunner hit the first pitch of her at-bat just fair within the right field line for her fourth double of her freshman season and Archuleta battled through a nine pitch at-bat that included consecutive foul balls before driving the ball over the scoreboard in right for her first home run of the season.

Yeatts fouled off the first pitch she saw on the following at-bat before sending a solo shot to straight-away center to tie the game at six and sent the Aggies to the bullpen for the third time. Hathoot singled to right field and with two outs in the inning, Chavez provided the go-ahead hit on a 3-2 pitch, also going straight-away center for the two-run home run. For Yeatts it was her seventh home run of the season and the sixth for Chavez.

Heading to the fifth holding an 8-6 lead, the Lobo defense retired the side in order in the fifth, and added to the lead with a one-out solo home run by Brunner, her second of the season.

The Lobo defense again sat the Aggies down in order in the sixth with the ball never leaving the infield and Linton needing nine pitches. Down to the final three outs, the Aggies had their leadoff batter reach, but a fielder’s choice eliminated the lead runner. A fielding error brought the tying run to the plate, with a grounder to second for the second out moving both runners in scoring position. A grounder to Sydney Carithers at third provided the third out and secured the win.

Brooke Umali got the start in the circle, going 1.0 inning before Linton entered in relief to start the second and threw a season-high 6.0 innings to earn the win.

Game two is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, with the Lobos holding their Alumni Day and Bark in the Park.