WACO, Texas— The Lobos closed their opening weekend at the Getterman Classic with a split, dropping the first game 1-0 before responding with their second shutout of Northwestern State by a score of 2-0.
Caitlin Benningfield earned her first career win with fellow freshman Arianna Capek getting her first career save in the win over Northwestern State, while it was another freshman who led the Lobos at the plate between the two games in Briana Williams with three hits.
Gabrielle Briones went 2-3 on the day which included an inside the park home run that broke the tie against NSU and had a 1.667 slugging percentage on the day.
GAME 1: WICHITA STATE
As the designated visitors, Williams reached base in the first inning on a single to left field, however a double play on the next at-bat ended the inning. Williams accounted for the lone hit for the Lobos in the game.
Starter McKenna Guest faced pressure early as the Shockers had two runners reach in the bottom half of the inning, getting out of the inning on a strikeout, a fielder’s choice back to the circle with Guest getting the out at third and a popup to Mya Pacheco at second.
The Lobos put a runner in scoring position in the top of the third with Grace Rana drawing a leadoff walk with Jewels Hanawahine sacrificing her over to second on a bunt, where Rana was left stranded following a strikeout and groundout.
Wichita State had runners reach in the second and third with WSU getting a runner in scoring position with a one-out double, but again, the Lobo defense got out of the inning to keep the game scoreless.
A WSU leadoff single in the fifth was eliminated by Rana throwing out the runner attempting to steal second, though the Shockers were able to score the game-winning run following a double, fielder’s choice that put two runners on and a two-out single to right field that brought the runner in from second.
The Lobos were unable to have a runner reach base in the remaining two innings for the 1-0 final.
GAME 2: NORTHWESTERN STATE
Facing the Lady Demons for the second straight day, the Lobos received a near complete game from Benningfield, who threw 6.2 innings and struck out six while allowing five hits and a walk in the shutout.
Benningfield retired six of the first seven hitters she faced, retiring the side in order in the top of the first, capping off the inning with a strikeout, and worked around a leadoff walk in the second to retire the next three NSU batters which included a grounder back to the circle and a second strikeout.
After a double play and a strikeout in the top of the third, Briones sparked the Lobo offense with a two-out, inside the park home run to right field.
Benningfield and the Lobo defense retired the side in order in the fourth with the freshman pitcher striking out two, with the Lobos adding an insurance run in the home half of the inning.
Williams led off the inning with an infield single after beating out the throw to first, advancing to second on a passed ball and later took third on a wild pitch. Jessica DeLeon put the 1-0 pitch in play down the first base line with the NSU first baseman recording the out at first before throwing home, as Williams broke for home on the play and slid under the tag for the 2-0 Lobo lead.
Benningfield added another strikeout in the top of the fifth, with the Lobos having a chance to add to their lead in the bottom of the inning after Miracle McKenzie reached on an error to start the inning and MiaLani Ocampo sacrificing pinch runner Rana over to second. Briones hit a ball to deep left field on her at-bat, but after a NSU challenge, it was determined that Rana left early and took a run off the board.
While Williams led off the sixth with a bunt, again beating out the throw to first with Benningfield sacrificing her over to put her in scoring position, the Lobos were unable to capitalize.
Holding a 2-0 lead heading to the seventh, Benningfield gave up a leadoff single up the middle with the Lobos getting the lead runner on a fielder’s choice for the first out. A fly ball to DeNae Vasquez-Dickson in left provided the second out with the Lobos going to the bullpen to close it out. Capek entered in relief and retired her lone batter faced on a groundout to Hanawahine at third.
The Lobos close the weekend 2-3 and will return to the road next weekend for the Mardi Gras Mambo in Youngsville, Louisiana.