Lobos Defeat Rams in Series Opener Behind Archuleta's Four RBI, Guest Complete Game
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Two key hits from Lobo senior Ashley Archuleta provided the tying, and later the go-ahead, runs as UNM won the opening game of the series against Colorado State Friday night 6-3.
Entering the series with the best batting average in the conference in MW games, Archuleta went 2-3 with a double in the fourth and a triple to right field in the sixth to finish with four RBI in the game, which tied her career high last done in 2022. With her two hits, the New Mexico native extended her on-base streak to the last 10 MW games with a hit in the last five MW games, and her on-base streak to 11 games overall and hitting streak to six games overall.
Archuleta also led off the game with a walk, later coming around to score for the opening run. Of note, it was the ninth game the Lobos have opened the game with a walk, the seventh time by Archuleta and the third time on a full count.
After working around a two-out single by the Rams in the top of the first, the top of the Lobo lineup quickly produced a run after Archuleta walked, DeNae Vasquez-Dickson laid down a bunt to move her over and a wild pitch moved her to third with one out. With two outs, an infield single by Aliie Williams allowed Archuleta to score for the 1-0 lead.
However, consecutive hits with two outs and a throwing error allowed both runners to move into scoring position, with both runners coming in to score on a single to right in the top of the second, with CSU adding another run in the third to build a 3-1 lead. While the Rams had four hits in the third, a defensive play with Vasquez-Dickson throwing a runner out at home limited the Rams to one run.
A walk for Williams and a hit to center by Miracle McKenzie put two runners on in the home half of the third, but a liner back to the pitcher prevented the Lobos from being able to cut into the deficit.
UNM pulled even with the Rams in the bottom of the fourth following a leadoff single through the left side by Hayden Luderer with a grounder to second advancing her to second with Jewels Hanawahine reaching on a fielding error to put Lobos on the corners with one out. Archuleta drove the first pitch of her at-bat off of the wall in left center, clearing the bases and tying the game at three, with Vasquez-Dickson laying down her second sac bunt of the game to move her to third, where she was left stranded. With her two sac bunts, Vasquez-Dickson has 14 on the season, and was her second game with two in the last three games.
A scoreless fifth inning led to starter McKenna Guest and the Lobo defense retiring the side in order in the sixth with Guest accounting for two of the outs on a strikeout and a grounder back to the circle, setting up three runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning.
Luderer led off with a single to right field with Sydney Carithers reaching on a bunt with the catcher unable to make a throw to first. Keyannah Chavez advanced both runners on a sac bunt with Archuleta due up, with the Lobo hitting a triple to right field to give UNM the 5-3 lead. Vasquez-Dickson drove her in on a grounder back to the pitcher, with the ball hitting off the Ram, who was able to recover and make the throw to first for the out.
With UNM’s three runs in the sixth, the Lobos are now outscoring opponents 20-8 in the inning on the season and are 15-2 when leading after six innings.
CSU had its leadoff batter reach on a single through the right side, but any chance of the Rams building off of it was squashed on a foul out to Carithers at third with the Lobo making the catch up against the netting, a swinging strikeout on three pitches and a foul out to Williams in right to end the game.
Guest threw her eighth complete game of the season to pick up her 14th win of the season, finishing with four strikeouts to no walks allowed, and of her three runs allowed, two were earned.
UNM was 3-6 in leadoff batters reaching compared to 1-7 from CSU, which occurred in the seventh inning, and of the 11 hits by CSU, the Lobos didn’t allow any extra-base hits.
Game two of the series is set for Saturday at 2 p.m.