First Inning Leads Lobos to Series Win Against Rams
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Three runs scored in the first inning were all the Lobos needed as Natalie Fritz and the Lobo defense held the Rams to one run in the 3-1 win on Saturday to secure the series.
Of note, it is the first series win over the Rams since 2017 and gave the Lobos their 20th win of the season.
CSU opened the scoring in its first at-bats, using a two-out rally with a double to right center, a walk and a single to left field to get on the board before a liner to DeNae Vasquez-Dickson in center ended the inning with two left on.
The Lobo lineup also used a two-out rally to produce their runs in the home half with Ashley Archuleta reaching on a single up the middle with Vasquez-Dickson executing a sac bunt to move her into scoring position. Allie Williams and Miracle McKenzie each drew walks to load the bases, and two at-bats later, Keyannah Chavez hit the first pitch of her at-bat to shallow left field to bring in Archuleta and Williams with McKenzie moving to third. On the next at-bat, Hayden Luderer hit the 1-2 pitch to right to score McKenzie for the 3-1 Lobo lead.
McKenzie caught a liner and stepped on first for the second double play of the game to highlight the second inning and the Lobo defense worked around a one-out ground-rule double and fly ball to right that moved the Ram to third in the third inning with a fly ball to Vasquez-Dickson in center to keep the game 3-1.
Fritz retired the side in order in the fourth with the ball never leaving the infield on three groundouts and the Lobos had a chance to add to their lead in the bottom of the fourth with Sydney Carithers drawing a walk on a full count and pinch-hitter Ella Dawson putting runners on the corners with a single through the right side, however, a liner to left ended the inning and both stranded.
UNM kept the Rams off the base paths in both the fifth and sixth innings, ultimately retiring 11 Rams in-a-row between the third and sixth innings, before the leadoff batter reached on a single in the top of the seventh.
The Lobos went to the bullpen with McKenna Guest entering in relief, with the sophomore getting a fly out to Williams in right, a lineout to Vasquez-Dickson in center and a swinging strikeout to close the game.
Fritz earned the win, going 6.0 innings and allowed one run on five hits with one strikeout, with Guest earning her first save of the season after retiring all three Rams she faced.
At the plate, Chavez led the Lobos with two RBI with Luderer adding one and four different Lobos registering a hit.
The Lobos (20-19-1, 5-7 MW) conclude the series with the Rams on Sunday at noon.