Lobos Fall to Wolf Pack Saturday

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos scored the first three runs of Saturday’s Mountain West contest against Nevada, however the Wolf Pack tied the game in the top of the third and took the lead in the top of the fifth in the 7-4 final.

After starter McKenna Guest retied the side in order to start the game, Ashley Archuleta got the offense going with a single through the left side with the Lobos using a two-out rally to open the scoring. Miracle McKenzie drew a walk following an 11-pitch at-bat, fouling off five consecutive pitches, leading to Sydney Carithers hitting the 2-2 pitch to center to score Archuleta.

A strikeout to end the top of the second left a Nevada runner on third with UNM needing two at-bats to extend its lead in the home half of the inning. Jewels Hanawahine reached on a fielding error and Katherine Brunner capitalized with a home run to center field that made it 3-0.

Two home runs in the third tied the game at three, with the score holding until the top of the fifth when Nevada scored three runs on three hits to take a 6-3 lead.

The Lobos had a chance to cut into the lead in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases on full count pinch hit walks by Ella Dawson and Georgia Heatcock as well as an infield single by Archuleta, but a grounder to shortstop left them stranded.

A walk and double to left center scored the final Nevada run in the top of the seventh with McKenzie hitting her second home run of the series in the bottom of the inning for the final Lobo run.

Archuleta and McKenzie finished with two hits apiece with Brunner leading with two RBI and Carithers and McKenzie adding one.

In the circle, Guest struck out four in 4.0 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits before being replaced by Marina Tinari. Tinari went 2.2 innings with two strikeouts and allowed one run on two hits. Caprice Barela provided the final out in the circle.

The Lobos close their home schedule on Sunday at 11 a.m. with a Senior Day ceremony pregame.