FORT COLLINS, Colo.— The Lobos led 2-0 through the middle of the sixth before Colorado State scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. UNM rallied to tie the game at three in the top of the seventh with the Rams walking it off in the bottom of the inning for the 4-3 final.
Seven different Lobos registered a hit in the game with Miracle McKenzie hitting her 10th home run of the season in the third and DeNae Vasquez-Dickson and Jewels Hanawahine accounting for the other RBI.
In the circle, Caitlin Benningfield threw a complete game, her third of the season, with seven strikeouts to two walks, with only one of the four runs allowed earned.
Following a scoreless first inning, the Lobos took a 1-0 lead in the second with two-out production. Hayden Luderer reached on a fielding error by the Ram first baseman, sliding into second on the play with Estrella Rowe and Hanawahine following with singles through the left side to plate the first run. A fielder’s choice with the play made at third left two runners on with one in scoring position.
With two outs and on the second pitch of her at-bat, McKenzie drove the pitch over the fence in left center to double UNM’s lead in the third, which preceded a single down the right field line by Gabrielle Briones and a single through the right side of the infield by Jessica DeLeon with Briones moving to third on the play. However, the Lobos were unable to add to their lead on a ground out to the pitcher.
Benningfield and the Lobo defense retired the Rams in order in the bottom of the third with a groundout to Briones at shortstop and two grounders to Rowe at third to maintain the 2-0 lead.
The Lobos again had a runner reach scoring position in the fourth after Hanawahine drew a one-out walk following a full count and Briana Williams moving her over to second on a ground ball to short. A flyout to right left Hanawahine stranded.
A leadoff single up the middle by the Rams in the bottom of the inning was eliminated on a caught stealing with DeLeon throwing to Briones, who applied the tag for the second out of the inning, and Benningifield added a swinging strikeout to end the inning for her third of the game.
CSU threatened in the bottom of the fifth following a leadoff double to shallow left, however, interference by the Ram on a ground ball to short on the next play removed the lead runner for the first out. A single to left put runners on the corners with one out, with Benningfield getting the Lobos out of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts, one swinging and one looking.
The Rams led off the bottom of the sixth with two singles before Benningfield struck out the next two, both swinging. A walk following a full count loaded the bases, and on the 0-1 count, a fielding error extended the inning and allowed a Ram to score to break the shutout. A single up the middle plated two more runs to give the Rams the 3-2 lead before a grounder to Rowe at third ended the inning. All three runs scored in the inning were unearned and came with two outs.
Trailing 3-2, B. Williams led off with an infield single towards first with the Ram infielder unable to make a play. With the lineup turned over, B. Williams took second on a passed ball during Allie Williams’ at-bat, with the Lobo outfielder grounding out to the shortstop to move B. Williams to third. The Lobo freshman scored on Vasquez-Dickson’s at-bat, beating out the throw home from the second baseman, sliding in under the Ram catcher’s glove to tie the game. Vasquez-Dickson took second on the play, and after the Rams intentionally walked McKenzie, a fielder’s choice with the play being made at second put runners on the corners with two outs. A ground out to second ended the inning with the go-ahead run left in scoring position.
UNM left a total of eight runners on base, four of which were in scoring position.
The Rams had their first three hitters reach on singles with the Lobos recording the first out on a rundown between third and home with the tag being made but runners ending up on second and third on the play. A single to left field on the 2-2 pitch ended the game.
Game two of the series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. MT.