Lobos Drop Series Opener to Nevada
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos tied the game at three in the second inning, but a sixth-run fourth inning was the difference in Friday night’s series opener with Nevada in an 11-8 final.
Trailing 11-4, UNM rallied to score two runs in the fifth, one run in the sixth and one in the seventh and had the tying run at the plate with two on and two outs in the bottom of the seventh with a fly ball to left ending the game.
New Mexico registered 13 hits in the game, led by 3-4 performances at the plate by Sydney Carithers and Miracle McKenzie with McKenzie and Ashley Archuleta hitting home runs. Of the 13 hits, five went for doubles and two for home runs with four different Lobos (Archuleta, Carithers, McKenzie and Jewels Hanawahine) finishing with multiple hits.
Hanawahine and Carithers led with two RBI each, which each came on a double.
The Wolf Pack plated two runs in the first and a run in the second before the Lobos answered with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the second. Carithers hit a one-out single through the right side of the infield for UNM’s first baserunner of the game, with McKenzie following up with a double to the gap in right center to put two Lobo in scoring position. With two outs, Hanawahine put the Lobos on the board with a two-run double to center field with the Wolf Pack outfielder unable to make the leaping catch. After the Lobo infielder advanced to third on a wild pitch, Emma Bramson tied the game at three on a single that fell in right field to score Hanawahine.
Following a scoreless third, Nevada regained the lead with six runs in the top of the fourth with McKenzie hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the inning, her fourth home run of the season. A two-run home run in the top of the fifth provided the final runs for the Wolf Pack with the Lobos scoring the final four runs of the game.
Archuleta started the bottom of the fifth with a single through the right side and two at-bats later Jessica DeLeon drew a walk following a full count with Allie Williams moving both over on a grounder to first. Carithers drove the 1-1 pitch down the right field line to bring both runners in and McKenzie singled through the left side to put runners on the corners with a liner to second leaving both stranded.
A two-out solo home run by Archuleta (her second of the season) in the sixth inning made it 11-7 with DeNae Vasquez-Dickson hitting a double to left field where she was left on base, and Williams started the seventh with a double to left center. Carithers put the first two Lobos on in the inning on a single through the left side to put runners on the corners and a fielder’s choice from Hayden Luderer scored Williams. Hanawahine kept the inning going with a single up the middle to bring the tying run to the plate, but a fly ball to left on the 3-1 pitch ended the game.
Natalie Fritz got the start and went a combined 2.0 innings with Caprice Barela throwing 2.1 innings and taking the loss. Marina Tinari pitched the final 2.2 innings and allowed only one hit with four strikeouts and two walks.
Game two of the series is Saturday at 2 p.m.