Lobos Run-Rule Hawks, Record Shutout to Conclude Purple Classic
PHOENIX— The Lobos closed out the weekend at the Purple Classic with a 10-0 win over Saint Joseph’s in five innings, capped by a three-run, pinch-hit home run by Ella Dawson in the bottom of the fifth.
UNM finished with eight hits in the game, with five going for extra bases, with DeNae Vasquez-Dickson, Miracle McKenzie and Hayden Luderer with two hits each. Dawson led the Lobos with three RBI, one of four players with multiple RBI (Vasquez-Dickson, two; Luderer, two; McKenzie, two).
In the circle, Lexi Atcitty and Caprice Barela combined for the shutout with Atcitty going 4.0 innings in the start and finished with two strikeouts and three hits. Barela pitched the fifth inning and allowed two hits. It was UNM’s sixth shutout of the season, and second of the tournament, the most by UNM since 2004.
After the Lobo defense recorded a double play to end the top of the first, the Lobos opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with Ashley Archuleta walking following a full count and a throwing error on a fielder’s choice on Vasquez-Dickson’s at-bat to put two runners in scoring position. Of note, it was the seventh game UNM had started the game with a walk. McKenzie battled in her at-bat, fouling off five pitches before driving the ball to the gap in right center to empty the bases for UNM’s first double of the game.
UNM retired the side in order in the second and the first two batters reached on fielding errors to set up the Lobos again. A fielder’s choice put runners on the corners and back-to-back doubles by Archuleta and Vasquez-Dickson scored three runs.
Jessica DeLeon drew a four-pitch walk with McKenzie drawing a walk as well to load the bases. Luderer made it 7-0 on a blooper down the right field line that fell in front of the diving Hawk outfielder that allowed two runs to score before the inning came to an end.
The Hawks had runners reach second in the third and fourth with the Lobos getting out of the inning both times. In the fifth, a leadoff double by SJU put another runner in scoring position, but a stolen base led to an out at home to eliminate the runner. A walk and throwing error led to runners on the corners, but a grounder to Sydney Carithers at second left them stranded.
McKenzie led off the bottom of the fifth with a four-pitch walk and a single up the middle by Luderer put the game-ending run in scoring position. A sac bunt by Carithers moved both runners, and after a grounder to third, Dawson ended it on the 2-1 pitch on a home run to left.
Seven of UNM’s 10 runs came with two outs in the inning.
With the win, UNM’s win streak extends to six games and improve to 14-11-1 on the season.