BOISE, IDAHO— Behind a four-RBI night from Allie Williams, which included a two-run home run in the seventh inning, and a complete-game performance from Caitlin Benningfield, who finished with 10 strikeouts, the Lobos won game one of the series against Boise State 6-1 on Thursday.
The Lobos finished with nine hits in the game, led by two apiece by Williams and Miracle McKenzie, with the leadoff batter reaching base in four innings while the Broncos were 0-7 in leadoff runners reaching.
UNM needed three at-bats to get on the board as Briana Williams reached on a single to the pitcher to start the game, taking second base on a wild pitch on the following at-bat. DeNae Vasquez-Dickson put runners on the corners with a single through the right side with McKenzie following suit with a single through the left side to bring in B. Williams. After Gabrielle Briones laid down a sac bunt for the first out, moving McKenzie and Vasquez-Dickson into scoring position, A. Williams grounded out to the shortstop with Vasquez-Dickson coming in to score for the 2-0 lead.
Benningfield struck out two Broncos in the bottom of the first, starting the inning off with a strikeout and accounted for the final two outs of the inning on a strikeout and a grounder back to the circle to leave two runners on.
Following a scoreless second, the Lobos added to their lead with the top of the lineup again accounting for the run. Vasquez-Dickson reached on a one-out walk with McKenzie also walking to force a pitching change. Briones loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch, her ninth of the season, and A. Williams hit a sacrifice fly to foul territory in right with Vasquez-Dickson tagging from third to score. Of note, it was A. Williams’ sixth sacrifice fly of the season and her second RBI of the game.
The Lobo defense retired the side in order in the bottom of the third with Benningfield needing three pitches to get the first two outs and a popup to Melanie Macias at second on a 3-2 pitch for the third out.
Another sacrifice fly in the fourth put the Lobos in front after Estrella Rowe led off with a single to center and two wild pitches later advanced to third. Hayden Luderer walked and a passed ball put two Lobos in scoring position. With one out, Vasquez-Dickson hit the first pitch of her at-bat to centerfield for the sacrifice fly as Rowe tagged. A McKenzie single to left kept the inning going as Luderer advanced to third, however a popup ended the inning with two left on.
Benningfield added two strikeouts in the home half of the fourth, starting and closing the inning with swinging strikeouts with the Broncos having their best opportunity to score in the fifth inning.
After Benningfield struck out the first two Broncos in the fifth, a single to left, wild pitch and single to first base put runners on the corners. A walk following a full count loaded the bases, with the Lobo defense getting out of the inning on a grounder to Macias at second.
Benningfield accounted for all three outs in the bottom of the sixth on two strikeouts and a grounder back to the circle to work around a one-out double with the Lobos adding two final runs in their last at-bats.
Briones drew a one-out walk following a full count with A. Williams driving the first pitch of her at-bat deep up the hill in left center for her seventh home run of the season. The Lobos loaded the bases on an error by the shortstop and walks by Macias and Marina Tinari but a popup to second ended the opportunity.
The Lobos got two quick outs in the bottom of the seventh on a strikeout and grounder back to Benningfield in the circle before the Broncos strung together two hits to score a run on a double and a single through the right side. Another single kept the game going, but a grounder to second ended the game.
The five-run margin was the largest margin of victory for the Lobos over the Broncos since 2015 and the second-largest margin of victory in the series history.
With the win, UNM has won four of its last five games, Benningfield improves to 7-6 on the season with the Lobos improving to 4-6 in the Mountain West. Her 10 strikeouts were the second most by the freshman pitcher this season and the complete game her fourth of the season.
Game two of the series is Friday at 6 p.m. MT.