ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 3-2 lead against Houston Christian in the final game of the UNM Invitational Sunday and Caitlin Benningfield and the Lobo defense held the Huskies off the bases in the final two innings for the win.
Gabrielle Briones extended her on-base streak to 12 games, leading the Lobos with a 3-3 outing at the plate, with the Lobo shortstop driving in the tying run on a one-out double and scored the winning run on a single to center from pinch hitter Ella Dawson. Mya Pacheco went 2-3 and drove in UNM’s first run and Briana Williams went 2-4.
The Lobos put runners on in their first at-bats with Allie Williams hitting a one-out single up the middle, Jessica DeLeon working back from a 1-2 count to draw a walk and Briones hitting a single to center to load the bases. However, a strikeout kept the game scoreless.
UNM left two more on in the second following two singles, but broke through in the bottom of the third behind three hits. DeLeon led off with a single up the middle with Briones hitting a double to right field that put two runners in scoring position. With two outs, Pacheco drove the 1-0 pitch through the left side to score pinch runner Grace Rana from third for the Lobo lead before the inning came to an end on the next at-bat after HCU challenged a runner leaving early on Pacheco’s stolen base.
The Huskies took the lead in their next at-bats, scoring two runs on three hits in the top of the fourth with a walk, a single through the left side, a single up the middle that tied the game and a single through the left side that scored another run. Benningfield kept it a one-run game with a fielder’s choice back to the circle with the freshman pitcher throwing home to get the force out and a grounder to Briones at shortstop to leave the bases loaded.
HCU threatened again in the top of the fifth after a leadoff double, but Benningfield retired the next three batters on two swinging strikeouts and a flyout to Williams in right.
UNM responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth with DeLeon working back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk following an 11-pitch at-bat with Miracle McKenzie moving her over on a sac bunt. Briones delivered with a double to right center to score DeLeon and Dawson followed that with a single to center that brought around Briones from second for the lead.
Holding a one-run lead, UNM’s defense retired the Huskies in order in the sixth on a liner to Briones at shortstop, a grounder to Estrella Rowe at third and a strikeout. In the seventh, UNM again retired the side in order with a liner to Rowe at third for the first out, a groundout to Jewels Hanawahine at second, with the Huskies challenging the call and the call on the field standing, and a final strikeout.
Benningfield earned the win, going 3.2 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts to one walk and allowing two hits. Caprice Barela got the start, going 3.1 innings with two strikeouts to one walk.
The Lobos are now 6-0 when leading after the sixth inning and 8-2 when leading after the fifth inning.
Following the UNM Invitational, where the Lobos went 4-1 on the weekend and won their last three games, the Lobos improve to 9-9 on the season and head to UTEP for a single game on March 3 at 3 p.m. UNM remains on the road for the Jaguar Classic hosted by South Alabama before opening conference play at home against Grand Canyon on March 13.