ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Saturday was all about the response and down one heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Lobos found a way with Hayden Luderer hitting a two-run home run to right field for the walk-off 6-5 win over Fresno State.
The Bulldogs took a one-run lead in the top of the sixth on a three-run home run and loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with McKenna Guest getting the swinging strikeout on a full count to keep it a one-run game.
Jessica DeLeon led off with a walk, on a full count, with a fielder’s choice getting the lead runner for the first out on the next at-bat. Luderer fouled off the first two pitches before taking a ball, and on the next pitch, ended the game with a home run, her third of the season.
Luderer went 2-3 on the day with a team-high two RBI, with Gabrielle Briones going 3-4 with one RBI and DeNae Vasquez-Dickson going 2-3 with a walk. As a team, UNM had 10 hits, four of which went for extra bases.
In the circle, Guest threw a career-high 157 pitches for her sixth complete game of the season, striking out six.
Guest retired the side in order with two strikeouts in the first with the Lobos leaving a runner in scoring position following an infield single by Briones with the Lobo taking second on a wild pitch. However, a flyout to center left her stranded.
A one-out walk turned into a Fresno State run in the top of the second with a single to center and a single to right scoring the first run of the game. A walk loaded the bases with one out, but a Guest strikeout and flyout to Luderer in center left them loaded.
The Lobos had a chance to answer in the home half of the inning after DeLeon drew her first of career-high three walks in the game with Melanie Macias singling to left to put two on. A fielding error on a sac bunt by Luderer loaded the bases with no outs, but the Lobos were unable to plate a run as pinch runner Grace Rana was caught in a run down between third and home after a failed bunt attempt that resulted in the first out and two swinging strikeouts left runners on second and third.
FS added to its lead in the third on a sacrifice fly to Allie Williams in right with the Lobos again limiting the Bulldogs to one run with bases loaded, with the Lobos taking the lead in the bottom of the third on three runs on four hits.
With the top of the lineup due up, Vasquez-Dickson drove the 3-2 pitch to the gap in left center with Briones following suit in the same location to drive in the first run. Miracle McKenzie grounded out to second for the first out, but moved Briones to third on the play, and Williams tied the game with a double to right center. DeLeon kept the inning going with a walk, and after a pitching change and a second out on a foul out, Luderer hit the first pitch she saw to the 5-6 hole with the shortstop keeping the ball in the infield. The Bulldog attempted to throw Luderer out at first with an errant throw allowing Williams to score on the play.
The score held until the bottom of the fifth with Guest retiring the side in order in the fifth and allowing just a walk in the fourth.
DeLeon led off the home half with a single through the left side with Macias reaching on a fielder’s choice with the Bulldogs getting the lead runner. Of note, it was originally called a double play on the field with Macias out at first, but a successful challenge by the Lobos overturned the call to safe at first and one out. Luderer put the ball in play on her at-bat, hitting it to the shortstop, who tried to get the out at second. However, an errant throw allowed Macias to reach safely and as the ball went into the outfield, allowed Macias to head to third. A sac fly by pinch hitter Ella Dawson to right with Macias tagging put the Lobos in front 4-2.
Fresno State answered with a three-run home run in the top of the sixth, all with two outs, after the first runner reached on a walk following a delay of game call that led to ball four. A single through the left side on the 1-2 pitch extended the inning and a home run to left put the Lobos in a 5-4 deficit. Guest got out of the inning on a swinging strikeout.
Following a flyout to Williams in right for the first out in the top of the seventh, a single to right put the first Bulldog on. A flyout to Williams in right provided the second out, but consecutive singles loaded the bases. Guest got ahead 0-2 in the count before the Bulldog batter worked a full count with Guest winning the battle on the strikeout to set up the comeback in the bottom of the inning.
With the series tied at one, the Lobos conclude the series with the Bulldogs on Sunday at 12 p.m.