Guest Throws Second Shutout as UNM Splits with HCU and UH
HOUSTON, Texas — UNM’s first inning offense was all that was needed in Friday’s game against Houston Christian as McKenna Guest shutout her second opponent in as many games in a 1-0 Lobo victory.
Ashley Archuleta led off with a four-pitch walk, her fourth walk of the season, with Allie Williams reaching on a two-out walk after working a full count. Miracle McKenzie put the Lobos on the board with a hit back up the middle to score Keyannah Chavez from second, which was also her first collegiate hit and RBI. McKenzie took second on the throw to put two runners in scoring position, but a lineout to centerfield left the runners stranded.
In the bottom half, HCU’s leadoff batter reached on a walk, but two fielder’s choices at second eliminated the lead runners and a grounder to McKenzie at first ended the inning. In the bottom of the second, Guest accounted for two outs with a grounder back to the pitcher, her first strikeout, and a grounder to Emma Bramson at shortstop.
After allowing leadoff walk on her first Husky faced, Guest retired the next nine Huskies before giving up a leadoff single in the fourth. However, the Lobos eliminated the runner on a double play by McKenzie at first and with the third out coming on the next at-bat on a grounder to Jewels Hanawahine at third.
HCU had a runner reach on a one-out walk in the fifth, but Guest struck out the next Husky looking and got the third out on a swinging strikeout to leave two runners on. Guest finished the game with four strikeouts, four hits allowed and two walks on 26 batters faced.
The Lobos had a chance to add an insurance run in the sixth as DeNae Vasquez-Dickson reached on a four-pitch walk to give UNM its first baserunner since the first inning. The Lobo stole second, and two-at-bats later, Williams singled through the right side with Vasquez-Dickson thrown out at home on the play.
The Huskies had one runner reach on a single in the bottom of the sixth, but was left stranded, and again in the seventh following a one-out single, but groundouts to Bramson and Guest ended the game.
In a game with a combined seven hits between the two teams, UNM had a hit from three freshmen in Williams, McKenzie and Jessica DeLeon.
GAME 2:
Houston scored two runs in the sixth and four runs in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with a 9-8 win.
The Lobos scored the first three runs of the game with Houston tying the game with three runs in the third. However, the Lobos scored a run in the fourth, three runs on an Ella Dawson pinch-hit home run in the fifth and a run in the sixth to lead 8-3 with Houston scoring the final six runs of the game.
Williams went 2-4 with two RBI to lead the Lobos in hits, while Dawson led with three RBI with UNM finishing with eight hits from seven different players.
UNM again struck first in the first inning with both teams loading the bases, but the Lobos the only team able to break through.
Vasquez-Dickson drew a one-out walk with Williams hitting it up the middle and Archuleta loading the bases on a fielder’s choice with the second baseman dropping the ball at second. DeLeon hit a two-out single to left field to score Vasquez-Dickson before a strikeout left the bases loaded.
The Cougars loaded the bases on two walks and a fielder’s choice to third with the runner beating the throw, but a grounder to Archuleta at second left them loaded.
UNM had its leadoff hitter reach in the second as Sydney Carithers was hit by a pitch, with Bramson moving her over on a sac bunt to turn over the lineup. Chavez singled up the middle to put runners on the corners and Vasquez-Dickson followed with a blooper to left that dropped down to allow Carithers to score, with Chavez taking third and Vasquez-Dickson taking second on the throw home that got away. A grounder to second by Williams scored Chavez from third before the inning came to an end.
Houston tied the game with three runs in the third, but the Lobos responded in their next at-bat, with a run coming with two outs. Bramson reached on an error and moved over to second on a bunt by Vasquez-Dickson. With two outs, Williams hit it over the centerfielder’s head to score Bramson to give UNM back the lead.
After entering in the bottom of the third and getting the third out on a strikeout, freshman Natalie Fritz struck out two in the bottom of the fourth with two Cougars left on base on a fielder’s choice. New Mexico put its first two hitters on in the top of the fifth with singles from McKenzie and Katherine Brunner and entering to pinch hit with two outs, Dawson worked a full count and drove the 3-2 pitch over the wall in left for a three-run home run and the first Lobo home run of the season that made it 7-3 Lobos.
UNM added to its lead in the sixth after Vasquez-Dickson reached on a wild pitch and Williams reached on a fielder’s choice with the Cougar third baseman throwing the ball away on a throw to second that allowed Vasquez-Dickson to advance to third. A wild pitch allowed Vasquez-Dickson to score, with an Archuleta walk and McKenzie grounder to second allowing two runners to move into scoring position. With two outs, Williams attempted to run home on a pitch that got away, but was thrown out at home.
Two errors turned into two unearned runs in the sixth to cut UNM’s lead to three with the Cougars scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh.
UNM used five pitchers in the game with Lexi Atcitty getting the start and going 2.0 scoreless innings. Fritz struck out five in 3.2 innings with Marina Tinari taking the loss.
Similar to Friday’s schedule, the Lobos face Houston Christian to start the day at 9 a.m. MT before finishing the day with Houston at 3 p.m. MT.