FORT COLLINS, Colo.— The Lobos trailed three times in Sunday’s series finale at Colorado State and responded each time before taking the lead in the top of the sixth for the 9-8 win.
UNM hit three home runs in the contest, fifth time doing so this season. Allie Williams hit a solo home run in the fourth to tie the game at three, her fifth home run of the season, Miracle McKenzie hit her 11th home run of the season, a three-run shot in the fifth that made it a one-run game, and Jessica DeLeon added an insurance run with a home run in the top of the seventh for her second home run of the season.
The Lobos finished with 13 hits, led by a 3-3 outing by DeNae Vasquez-Dickson and two hits from both Briana Williams, A. Williams and Gabrielle Briones.
CSU opened the scoring with two runs in the bottom of the first behind a walk, hit-by-pitch and bases-clearing, two-out triple to center field before a fielder’s choice ended the inning.
UNM immediately responded in its next at-bats, with DeLeon leading off the inning on a walk following a full count and Briones laying down a bunt and safely reaching first to put two runners on. A groundout to short advanced both runners for the first out with Melanie Macias grounding out to second that allowed pinch runner Grace Rana to score from third for the first run. Estrella Rowe followed with a single up the middle on the first pitch of her at-bat to score Briones for the tying run.
The Rams took the lead in the home half of the inning following a leadoff triple down the right field line and a fielding error that allowed the runner to score, but the Lobos got out of the inning only trailing by one on two flyouts to A. Williams in right that left two runners on.
UNM had a chance to even the score in the third after B. Williams led off with a single through the left side of the infield and Vasquez-Dickson beat out the throw to first on a bunt. A flyout to center by McKenzie allowed B. Williams to tag to third, however, the inning came to an end on Vasquez-Dickson caught stealing.
Colorado State again had a runner reach scoring position in the bottom of the inning on a leadoff double with the runner moving to third on a groundout to Briones at short for the second out, with relief pitcher McKenna Guest getting out of the inning on a swinging strikeout.
The Lobos tied it in the top of the fourth on a one-out, solo home run from A. Williams who drove the 2-0 pitch over the fence in center field, but the Rams answered back with four runs in the bottom of the fourth on three hits to take the 7-3 lead.
UNM again responded in the top of the fifth with B. Williams starting it off reaching on a hit-by-pitch. Vasquez-Dickson followed with an infield single to shortstop that after a review from a CSU challenge, the safe call was upheld to put two runners on with one out. McKenzie made it a one-run game, turning on the 1-0 pitch for the three-run home run to right field.
The Lobo defense worked around three walks in the bottom of the fifth with relief pitcher Arianna Capek recording a strikeout, a popup to Briones at short and a groundout to McKenzie at first to keep it a one-run deficit, with the Lobos completing the comeback in the top of the sixth.
Macias led off with a single up the middle with Rowe sacrificing her over to second and B. Williams hitting a two-out infield single to put runners on the corners. A wild pitch led to the Ram catcher throwing the ball away at the plate, allowing Macias to slide safely in at home to tie the game and B. Williams to take second on the play. Vasquez-Dickson gave the Lobos the 8-7 lead on a single through the right side with B. Williams coming all the way around to score on the play.
UNM scored five unanswered runs between the fifth and sixth innings to take the lead and added a run in the top of the seventh in what amounted to six unanswered runs.
The Rams had the tying run on third in the bottom of the sixth with a one-out double to right center and a groundout to Macias at second that moved the runner to third. Following a walk, a popup to Briones at short ended the inning.
DeLeon added a crucial insurance run on a leadoff home run in the top of the seventh for the 9-7 lead with the Rams having their first two batters reach on a single up the middle and a walk. Caitlin Benningfield struck out the next two Rams, one swinging and one looking before a single to right center led to a run coming in with the tying run on second. Benningfield closed the game with the final out, a swinging strikeout, her third of the game.
The Lobos used four pitchers in the game with Benningfield starting, Guest entering in relief with one out in the second and going 2.0 innings. Marina Tinari entered in relief in the fourth before Capek replaced her and threw 1.2 innings. Capek didn’t allow a hit in her appearance with Benningfield reentering to start the sixth innings and throwing the final two innings.