RENO, Nev. — Trailing 6-2 heading into the top of the seventh of game one against Nevada on Saturday, the Lobos rallied to score four runs to send the game to extra innings, and scored six runs in the eighth for the 12-8 win.
The win snapped a seven-game losing streak against the Wolf Pack, was the first win in the series since 2023, and was the first win in Reno since 2022. The 12 runs tied the most runs scored by the Lobos against the Wolf Pack, with the other time in 2021, and game one was the second time the Lobos have gone to extra innings in the series with Nevada, the other being a 4-3 win in 2023.
Game one marked the fourth extra inning game for UNM this season with the Lobos 4-0 and outscoring opponents 17-4.
UNM finished with 14 hits in the game, six of which went for extra bases on four doubles and two home runs, with the Lobos now 10-0 when hitting two or more home runs in a game. Miracle McKenzie went 3-4 with a double and one RBI with Allie Williams responsible for four RBI on two hits, including a three-run home run in the seventh inning that brought UNM within one. Melanie Macias went 2-4 with a double and three RBI as well, for her first double and a season high in RBI. Overall, five Lobos finished with multiple hits.
The Lobos got on the board in their first at-bats with DeNae Vasquez-Dickson leading off the game with a walk following a full count. Of note, it was the eighth game UNM has led off a game with a walk and the third time for Vasquez-Dickson. A sac bunt by Gabrielle Briones moved Vasquez-Dickson to second with a wild pitch allowing her to move to third. After McKenzie walked on four pitches, a fielder’s choice brought Vasquez-Dickson in for the first run.
Nevada tied the game in the bottom of the first, taking advantage of a fielding error that allowed a run to score with the Lobos getting out of the inning on a liner to Estrella Rowe at third and a groundout to Rowe to leave two runners on.
The score held until the bottom of the third with a single to shallow right field allowed a runner to score from third, however, a double play and groundout to Briones at short limited the deficit to one run.
UNM answered with a run to tie the game in the fifth after Hayden Luderer led off with a double and with the lineup turned over, Vasquez-Dickson singled to center field to put runners on the corners. McKenzie hit a one-out double to right center to bring around Luderer with Vasquez-Dickson advancing to third on the play with the Lobo left standing on third following two strikeouts.
The Wolf Pack regained the lead with three runs in the home half of the fifth and added a run in the sixth to set up the Lobo comeback in the seventh. Of note, a successful Lobo challenge on a runner leaving early in the bottom of the sixth took a run off of the board and kept the Wolf Pack to just one run scoring in the inning.
Briones led off the inning with a walk and McKenzie followed that with a single to left. On the 3-2 pitch and the ninth pitch of her at-bat, Williams hit a no-doubt home run over the fence in left field to pull the Lobos within one with no outs. Jessica DeLeon kept the momentum going with a double to left field on the 0-2 pitch with Marina Tinari reaching on a fielding error that allowed pinch runner Georgia Heathcock to move to third. A sacrifice fly by Macias to left allowed Heathcock to tag and score to tie the game with Tinari moving to second on the throw home. Tinari advanced to third on a wild pitch, with the Lobos unable to bring her in.
McKenna Guest entered in relief to start the bottom of the seventh and retired the side in order, striking out the first batter she faced and getting the next two Nevada batters out on a flyout to Vasquez-Dickson in left and a popup to Macias at second to send the game to extra innings.
With the top of the lineup due up, Vasquez-Dickson gave UNM the lead, its first since the first inning, on a leadoff home run. Briones followed with an infield single and two at-bats later, Williams singled to right. DeLeon added to the Lobo lead on a single to center that allowed Briones to score from second and Tinari loaded the bases on an infield single. A double to left by Macias brought around DeLeon and Williams and a single down the left field line scored Tinari. A sacrifice fly by Luderer to center allowed Macias to score for the second out and final run, with UNM scoring six runs on seven hits in the inning.
It marked the 11th game that the Lobos have scored four or more runs in an inning and the fourth time doing it twice in a game. The six runs in the eighth inning marked the second time scoring four or more runs in extra innings, with the Lobos scoring seven runs in the eighth inning of game two at Boise State.
Guest recorded the first out on a grounder to Briones before the next two Nevada batters reached. A strike out looking provided the second out with a double to right center extending the game with two runners coming in to score on the play. A strikeout on three pitches ended the game.
Caitlin Benningfield threw 4.0 innings before Arianna Capek entered in relief and threw 2.0 innings. Guest earned the win after throwing the final 2.0 innings with the trio striking out seven.
GAME TWO
Much like game one, the Lobos got on the board in the first inning with Vasquez-Dickson starting the game with a walk. Briones again laid down a sac bunt to move her over and a fielding error by the third baseman on McKenzie’s at-bat allowed Vasquez-Dickson to score from second for the early Lobo lead.
Getting the start in game two, Guest got out of the inning on a double play with Guest getting the grounder back to the circle and starting the 1-6-3 double play.
Luderer reached on a two-out double down the right field line in the second but a popup left her in scoring position, with the Wolf Pack hitting a leadoff home run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game.
Nevada scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning with three, two-out walks the undoing for the Lobos, but UNM responded in its next at-bats.
DeLeon led off with a walk following a full count with Macias also walking. A throwing error allowed Benningfield to reach to load the bases without any outs and after a strikeout, Luderer singled to right center to score the first run of the inning. A fielding error allowed Macias to score with Briones clearing the bases on a grand slam to center as UNM scored six runs on two hits.
Nevada scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the 8-7 lead and added four runs in the fifth for the final runs of the game for the 12-7 score.
The Lobos return home to host Fresno State April 17-19.