ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos answered to tie the game in the bottom of the second inning against Fresno State Friday, but the fourth inning proved to be the difference in a 12-6 loss in the series opener.
Six finished with a hit, two going for extra bases, with Briana Williams and Hayden Luderer leading the team with two RBI each.
The Bulldogs took the early lead in the first on a leadoff walk, sac bunt and a single up the middle with the Lobos responding with a run in the bottom of the second.
Jessica DeLeon led off the inning with a double to right field with Melanie Macias laying down a sac bunt to move pinch runner Grace Rana to third. A fielder’s choice by Williams in which she hit a chopper to shortstop with the Bulldog charging and unable to make a play allowed Rana to score to tie the game. Williams was caught stealing for the second out with a groundout to second ending the inning.
Both teams left runners on third in the third inning with Caitlin Benningfield recording a strikeout to get out of the inning with Luderer leading off the bottom of the inning on a walk following a nine-pitch at-bat with DeNae Vasquez-Dickson moving her over on a sac bunt. A wild pitch with two out allowed Luderer to advance to third with a strikeout on a 3-2 count leaving the go-ahead run on third.
Fresno State took the lead in the top of the fourth with an infield single and home run to right center, with the Bulldogs scoring seven runs on six hits, three walks and a hit-by-pitch in the inning before relief pitcher Arianna Capek got the final out on a strikeout.
The Lobos responded with five runs on four hits in the home half with Allie Williams getting the inning started with a double off the wall in center field and DeLeon reaching on a hit-by-pitch. Macias loaded the bases on a single to left field and B. Williams drove in the first run of the inning on a single up the middle after falling behind 0-2 in the count. With the bases still loaded, pinch hitter Ella Dawson drew a walk to score DeLeon and Luderer sliced the third pitch of her at-bat to right field with B. Williams and Macias coming around to score and Dawson moving to third.
A sac bunt by Vasquez-Dickson recorded the first out of the inning with Dawson scoring on the play and Luderer moving to second, but the Lobos were unable to cut into the deficit further as the next two batters were retired.
Cutting the margin to two at 8-6 heading into the fifth inning, the Lobos went to the bullpen for McKenna Guest, with Guest getting the first out on a flyout to A. Williams in right before a walk and single to shortstop put two on. A strikeout provided the second out, but the Lobos were unable to get out of the inning before Fresno State hit a three-run home run to center.
Fresno State added a final run in the sixth inning on a walk and double to the gap in left center that scored the runner from first for the final runs of the game as UNM was unable to get a runner on in the final three innings.
UNM used four pitchers in the game with Benningfield taking the loss after throwing 3.1 innings. Capek went 0.2 innings before Guest entered for 1.1 innings. Marina Tinari threw the final 1.2 innings with the lefty the most effective, not allowing a hit and striking out one in her appearance. As a staff, the Lobos struck out seven and walked seven.
Game two of the series is set for Saturday at 2 p.m.