Lobos Travel to Texas State for Bobcat Tournament
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos return to The Lone Star State for their second week of play, set to face Fordham, St. Thomas and Texas State in the Bobcat Tournament Friday through Sunday.
UNM has previously faced two of its opponents in Fordham and Texas State, with this weekend being the first meetings all-time against St. Thomas. The Lobos last played Fordham in 2000 and Texas State in 2017.
SCHEDULE:
Friday
Fordham @ 11:15 a.m. MT
St. Thomas @ 6 p.m. MT
Saturday
Texas State @ 3:45 p.m. MT
St. Thomas @ 6 p.m. MT
Sunday
Texas State @ 11:15 a.m. MT
None of the games will be streamed, but all will have live stats available.
PUT THE PRESSURE ON
The Lobos have scored in the first innings in three games (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, HCU on Feb. 7 and Houston on Feb. 7) and scored in the second inning in three games (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Houston on Feb. 7 and St. John’s), while not allowing a run in the first two innings through the first seven games. UNM is outscoring opponents 4-0 in the first and 9-0 in the second.
In addition, the Lobos are outscoring opponents 4-0 in the fourth inning, scoring two runs in the Feb. 8 game at Houston, one run at HCU on Feb. 8 and one run at Houston on Feb. 7.
On the season, UNM is outscoring opponents 26-24 and outscoring opponents in four innings.
UNM is 2-0 when holding an opponent scoreless in the first inning, and 2-1 when leading after the first and the second. When leading after three innings, the Lobos are 2-0.
IT’S ABOUT THE SACRIFICE
Through the first seven games, the Lobos have eight sacrifice hits, led by three from Sydney Carithers, two each from DeNae Vasquez-Dickson and Emma Bramson and one from Keyannah Chavez.
Heading into the weekend, the Lobos are tied for second in the NCAA in sac bunts, while Carithers leads the MW with Vasquez-Dickson and Bramson tied for second.
Seven of UNM’s runs scored were as a result of a sac bunt moving the runner over, with two runs in the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi game, two in the first Houston game and two against St. John’s.
The first run and the last run in the season opener against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi were set up by sac bunts with Vasquez-Dickson laying down one in the first to move Ashley Archuleta, who later scored, and Carithers in the seventh, to move pinch runner Ava Castillo, who later scored to end the game. The go-ahead run in the second game at HCU was set up by a sac bunt with Bramson moving Carithers over with Carithers later scoring on a passed ball with two outs.
Both runs scored in the St. John’s game came from a sac bunt with Carithers laying down the bunt.
WALK IT OUT
The Lobos lead the Mountain West and are tied for 22nd in the NCAA in walks with 23 walks, with nine different players recording a walk and seven with multiple walks.
Ashley Archuleta leads the MW in walks with six with DeNae Vasquez-Dickson tied for third with four. Against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Archuleta’s first two times at the plate resulted in a four-pitch walk. Archuleta also led off the game at Sam Houston with a four-pitch walk as well as the top of the first in the first game against HCU.
Of the 23 walks, 11 have been on 3-0 counts and eight have come on full counts.
TWO OUTS, SO WHAT
Of UNM’s 26 runs, 16 have come with two outs in the inning.
Five of UNM’s eight runs in the season opener came with two outs, with four of UNM’s runs in the first game against Houston coming with two outs. UNM scored three runs in the second game at Houston with two outs, two in the second game at HCU and one in the first game at HCU.
In the 1-0 win against Houston Christian, Miracle McKenzie’s hit that scored the only run of the game came with two outs in the inning.
With two outs and trailing 3-2 in Saturday’s game at Houston, Jessica DeLeon had her first clutch hit of the game with a single to the outfield to score DeNae Vasquez-Dickson and tie the game.
Allie Williams and Ella Dawson lead the team with four, two-out RBI with all three of McKenzie’s RBI coming with two outs.
Of UNM’s 41 hits, 19 have come with two outs (46.3%), with Williams 7-8 with two outs.
WHAT’S THE LINEUP?
UNM has used seven different lineup combinations in the seven games.
Four different players have been in the leadoff spot with Ashley Archuleta leading off the lineup in three games (2-1 in those games). The Lobos have had five different players third in the lineup with Miracle McKenzie leading with three games, and four players in the cleanup spot with Keyannah Chavez leading with three games. Five different played have been sixth in the lineup with McKenzie and Jessica DeLeon hitting sixth in two games each, as well as five different players hitting seventh with Emma Bramson and Sydney Carithers in two games apiece.
Only two players have consistently held the same spot in the lineup: DeNae Vasquez-Dickson hitting second in five games and Carithers eighth in four games. However, Allie Williams has hit second in the last two games with Vasquez-Dickson leading off, and Bramson has hit eighth in the last two games (three games overall).
FRESHMEN IN NAME ONLY
In their first games as Lobos, the freshmen class rose to the occasion time and time again, providing clutch at-bats and performances in the circle.
Two freshmen had pivotal contributions in their first collegiate game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi with Allie Williams going 3-3 at the plate with two doubles and three RBI, while Ella Dawson pinch hit in the bottom of the fifth and delivered the game-ending run on a single to the outfield for her first collegiate hit and RBI.
Miracle McKenzie drove in the game-winning run in the first inning at Houston Christian on a hit back up the middle for her first collegiate hit and RBI.
In the second game at Houston Christian on Saturday, Natalie Fritz threw 4.2 scoreless innings, striking out four and allowing one hit on 16 batters faced and 59 pitches, 40 of which went for strikes. In addition, she retired 11 consecutive hitters between the fourth and seventh innings. Holding a one-run lead, Fritz struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh before allowing a walk. However, Fritz struck out the next batter to secure her first win as a Lobo.
Dawson hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run in Friday’s game at Houston to lead the Lobos in RBI, while Williams went 2-4 with two RBI to lead the Lobos in hits, including a hit to centerfield in the top of the fourth to score a run and give UNM back the lead at 4-3.
In the second game at Houston, and trailing 3-2 in the top of the seventh, Jessica DeLeon had her first clutch hit of the game with a single to the outfield to score DeNae Vasquez-Dickson and tie the game. DeLeon broke the tie in the top of the 10th on a leadoff home run to left for her first of the season.
Williams led the Lobos with 11 hits, five RBI, a .458 batting average, .500 on-base percentage (1.042 OPS) and 13 total bases, while tying for the team lead in doubles (two) and second in slugging percentage (.542). The outfielder also recorded a hit in all seven games with a team-best three multiple-hit games and two multiple-RBI games.
Through the first week of play, Allie ranks second in hits, tied for third in doubles, tied for fifth in RBI, tied for seventh in total bases and ninth in batting average in the Mountain West. Among NCAA rankings, she is tied for sixth in hits (but most hits by a freshman) and tied for first in toughest to strike out with 0 (but with the most at-bats with 24).
DeLeon was second in batting average (.294), on-base percentage (.400), hits (five) and total bases (eight), while tied for the team lead in home runs (tied with Dawson at one). Dawson had a team-best .625 slugging percentage and tied for second in RBI with four. McKenzie has reached base in the last five games and in six of the seven games to date. The first baseman is tied with DeLeon for fourth in RBI at three.
In the circle, Fritz is tied for the team lead in strikeouts (10) and appearances (four), and second in innings pitched (11.1).
Williams and McKenzie have started all seven games with DeLeon playing in all seven with five starts and Dawson appearing in six with one start. Fritz has made four appearances with one start.
LESSONS LEARNED
After losing to Houston in the bottom of the seventh on Friday night, the Lobos responded with a one-run win against Houston Christian on Saturday morning, with Natalie Fritz getting three strikeouts. The tying run reached on a walk, but Fritz struck out the next batter to end the game.
On Sunday against St. John’s, with the game tied at two, the Johnnies had the winning run in scoring position after a leadoff double with SJU dropping a sac bunt to move the runner to third for the first out. The Lobo defense held tough and got the second out on a popup to third and a flyout to left to leave the go-ahead run stranded. In the bottom of the seventh, St. John’s put two runners on with a walk and a single down the left-field line, with a flyout to center allowing both runners to tag for the second out. With the winning run on third, the Lobos left them on with a grounder to second.
MAKE IT COMPLETE
McKenna Guest started her sophomore season throwing two complete-game shutouts with an 8-0, five inning shutout against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and a 1-0 shutout against Houston Christian.
Guest threw a complete game in the season opener, allowing a single in the second inning, and finished with three strikeouts for her first shutout as a Lobo. The sophomore retired the side in both the fourth and fifth innings and retired eight consecutive batters between the third and the fifth innings.
After allowing leadoff walk on her first Husky faced, Guest retired the next nine Huskies before giving up a leadoff single in the fourth. 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.
Guest went 14.2 innings to start the season before allowing a run and currently leads the Lobos with a 1.47 ERA, throwing a team-high 19.0 innings and striking out 10.
Through the first week of play, she was one of nine pitchers in the NCAA to record two shutouts. The Lobo leads the conference in innings pitched, is third in ERA and tied with Natalie Fritz for seventh in strikeouts.
ABOUT TEXAS STATE
The Bobcats are 2-2 on the season after losses to Arkansas and Bradley and wins over San Diego and Lipscomb in the Texas State Tournament. Texas State is led by Karmyn Bass’ five hits and .500 batting average and .700 slugging percentage. The Bobcats are 5-5 in stolen bases with Mayson Garrett leading with two.
Texas State has used five pitchers to date, with Madison Azua making a team-high two starts and going 14.0 innings. In her three appearances, Azua has struck out 12 to one walk and allowed three runs on eight hits. As a staff, the Bobcats hold a 2.75 ERA with 19 strikeouts to six walks and have allowed 11 runs on 26 hits.
After making the NCAA Tournament last season, the Bobcats were picked to win the Sun Belt Conference with Azua named the Preseason Pitcher of the Year and Ciara Trahan named Preseason All-Sun Belt.
ABOUT FORDHAM
Fordham went 1-4 in the Charleston Invitational opening week and has lost its last three entering the weekend.
The Rams are led at the plate by Mallory McClellan’s six hits, including one double and one triple, and her three RBI.
Fordham has used five pitchers, led by 14.0 innings and two starts from Holly Beeman, with the Ram throwing two complete games. In her outings, Beeman has struck out nine while not allowing a walk, and has allowed four runs. Elizabeth Gaisior has also thrown a complete game, allowing three runs while striking out three and walking one.
The Rams were picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
ABOUT ST. THOMAS
St. Thomas enters the second weekend of the season 4-1 and on a four-game win streak with wins over DePaul (twice), Green Bay and Detroit Mercy in the DePaul Dome Tournament.
Kaitlyn Raymond had 12 hits with a double and a triple in the five games, leading the Tommies with a .632 batting average and .789 slugging percentage. Ella Cook had a team-high six RBI on six hits, including two doubles. St. Thomas is 10-12 in stolen bases.
Christina Crawford has started two games for St. Thomas, throwing 12.0 innings, followed by Cook, who has thrown 10.0 innings with one complete game and one shutout.
Out of the Summit League, the Tommies were picked to finish fourth in the preseason coaches’ poll.