DeLeon Walks Off Lobos to Even Series with Spartans
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— A DeNae Vasquez-Dickson leadoff double in the bottom of the seventh set up the winning run two at-bats later as Jessica DeLeon drove the 1-0 pitch through the right side with Vasquez-Dickson coming around to score for the 5-4 win over San José State on Saturday afternoon.
DeLeon led the Lobos with a 3-4 outing at the plate that included a double in the third inning that set up a run with fellow freshman Miracle McKenzie leading the Lobos with one RBI in the third and one in the fifth.
A leadoff home run by the Spartans put the Lobos behind early, with UNM responding with two runs in the bottom of the second and expanded the lead with a run in the third.
Hayden Luderer started the bottom of the second with a one-out single through the right side with Sydney Carithers following with a single to center field to put two on. Emma Bramson loaded the bases on a walk following a full count in which she fouled off three consecutive pitches and five pitches total in her 10-pitch at-bat with Katherine Brunner walking on five pitches to bring in Luderer to tie the game at one.
With the top of the lineup up, Ashley Archuleta battled to a 3-2 count before flying out to right field, but deep enough for Carithers to tag from third for the go-ahead run before the inning came to an end.
The Lobo defense held the lead in the top of the third with two ground balls to Brunner at shortstop resulting in outs at second to leave a Spartan on and the Lobo bats strung together another run in the home half of the third, courtesy of DeLeon and McKenzie.
DeLeon hit a one-out double to left field and the next at-bat, McKenzie brought pinch runner Grace Rana around from second on a single to right field. Luderer reached on a fielder’s choice on the next at-bat, moving all the way around to third on a stolen base and wild pitch with Carithers reaching on a walk to put runners at the corners before a liner to center field stranded both runners.
The score held until the top of the fifth, with SJSU tying the game at three after scoring two runs on four hits, however the Lobos reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning after Allie Williams reached on an infield single, DeLeon singled to right field to move pinch runner Ava Castillo all the way to third, and a fielder’s choice with the out being made at second allowing Castillo to score for the 4-3 Lobo lead.
San José State had its first two batters reach in the top of the sixth on a bunt and single through the right side, but a popup to McKenzie on a bunt attempt, strikeout for McKenna Guest and grounder to Brunner at short maintained the one-run lead.
Two doubles in the top of the seventh evened the score at four before a grounder to Carithers at third and foul out to Vasquez-Dickson in left stranded the go-ahead run on third.
The Lobos needed just three at-bats to walk it off with Vasquez-Dickson’s double, an infield single by Williams and DeLeon’s single to score Vasquez-Dickson.
UNM outhit SJSU 12-11 in the game with four hits going for doubles.
In the circle, Natalie Fritz went 4.1 innings with three strikeouts to zero walks, allowing three runs on five hits, before Guest entered in relief for the final 2.2 innings. Guest earned the decision to move to 10-5 on the season, with the Lobos moving to 1-1 in the conference and 15-13-1 on the season.
The deciding game of the series is set for Sunday at noon MT.