UNM Rally Comes Up Short in Series Finale with Rams
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— With the series win secured on Saturday, the Lobos rallied in the bottom of the seventh of Sunday’s series finale with Colorado State after the top of the lineup loaded the bases and put the tying run on board, but a liner to left ended the game in a 4-1 loss to the Rams.
Emma Bramson gave the Lobos their first baserunner in the home half of the seventh with a single to left and with two outs, DeNae Vasquez-Dickson singled and Allie Williams walked on four pitches to load the bases. However, a liner on the first pitch resulted in the final out.
Vasquez-Dickson went 3-4 at the plate with four Lobos finishing with a hit.
Errors and the sun proved to be factors in the first two innings, leading to CSU runs, two of which were unearned. CSU’s leadoff batter reached on a fielding error to start the game, and after a hit-by-pitch and single to center loaded the bases, an infield fly call in which the Lobos lost the ball in the sun allowed the runner on third to score. A swinging strikeout ended the threat with two Rams left on.
UNM responded with a run in its first at-bats with Vasquez-Dickson getting on base on a single to center and Williams following with an infield single. Keyannah Chavez provided the game-tying hit on a double to center to score Vasquez-Dickson, and although the Lobos had two runners in scoring position as a result of the play, were unable to capitalize and take a lead.
The sun was again a factor in the second inning as the Rams hit a two-out triple as the ball fell in shallow right, with the runner scoring on the next play on a single to center for the 2-1 CSU lead. CSU added two runs in the third, having two runners reach on consecutive singles, and with two outs, a single to right field scored the first runner from second with the runner on first moving to third. However, a throw from right to home prompted the Ram to take second, and an errant throw from the Lobo catcher to second allowed the runner on third to score for the 4-1 score.
UNM had two runners reach in the bottom of the fourth on a single to center from Jessica DeLeon with Katherine Brunner reaching on a swinging strikeout in which the ball got away from the catcher, allowing the Lobo to safely reach first. However, a grounder to third left both stranded.
The Lobos had a runner reach in both the fifth and sixth with both unable to advance past first base before stringing together two hits and a walk in the seventh inning.
McKenna Guest got the start in the circle, going 4.0 innings with three strikeouts to zero walks and allowed four runs (two earned) in the loss. Natalie Fritz entered in relief to start the fifth and pitched two scoreless innings with two strikeouts to one walk before giving way to Caprice Barela, who entered in the top of the seventh with runners on first and second and proceeded to retire the next three Rams to get the Lobos out of the inning.
Up next: the Lobos head on the road for the next four games, facing UTEP on Tuesday at 2 p.m. before resuming MW play at Fresno State with the three-game series starting Thursday.