ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— With the series secured, the Lobos completed the sweep over Utah State on Saturday, using defense and two runs in the first inning to win 3-1.
With the win, the Lobos conclude the Mountain West schedule 13-12, the most conference wins since the Lobos won 13 in 2015 and ties the second-most MW wins by a Lobo team with the record 14 wins done in UNM’s first season in the MW in 2000. In addition, the Lobos finish the regular season 26-25, the first time with a winning record since 2015.
Further, the sweep marks the second sweep of Utah State in the last three years.
Hayden Luderer made plays in the outfield and at the plate, robbing a home run in the fourth inning and hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning, going 2-3 in the game. DeNae Vasquez-Dickson also went 2-3 with the Lobos finishing with seven hits against the Aggies.
Like the first two games, UNM put runs on the board in its first at-bats, scoring two runs on three hits and taking advantage of an error.
Vasquez-Dickson led off with a single up the middle with Gabrielle Briones moving her into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. A hard hit ball by Allie Williams towards the Aggie first baseman went through the legs with the ball reaching the right field corner and resulted in the Lobo advancing to third on the play and Vasquez-Dickson scoring for the first run. Jessica DeLeon added to the lead after battling to a full count and eight-pitch at-bat on a single through the left side.
The Lobos loaded the bases in the inning with Melanie Macias walking and Luderer fouling off four consecutive pitches as part of a 14-pitch at-bat before singling to left center, but a flyout to left ended the inning with the bases loaded.
Starter McKenna Guest retired the side in order in the second and the Lobos came feet away from adding to the lead in the bottom of the second after Briones walked and Williams singled through the left side with two outs. DeLeon hit it to deep right with the Aggie outfielder reaching over the wall to make the catch.
UNM worked around a one-out single in the third with the runner reaching second before a grounder to Macias at second ended the inning and Luderer made a spectacular catch of her own in the top of the fourth to keep the Lobos’ two-run lead, robbing a home run in center field.
The score held until the fifth, when the Aggies used a one-out walk and aggressive base running with a single through the right side leading to the runner moving to third and the batter taking second on the throw to third. A sacrifice fly cut the Lobo lead in half with the runner on second tagging to third on the play, and after a walk, a fielder’s choice to Briones at shortstop left the tying run on base.
Entering in relief with a runner on first and no outs in the top of the sixth, Arianna Capek preserved the Lobo lead, getting the first Aggie batter she faced to flyout to Williams in right on the first pitch, followed by another flyout to right and a strikeout on a full count.
Luderer provided an insurance run on a home run to center field, her fourth of the season, in the bottom of the sixth.
Capek retired the first two Aggies in the top of the seventh on a popup to Briones and a swinging strikeout after a 12-pitch at-bat on a full count, but USU had its next two batters reach on an infield single and a walk. The Lobos went to the bullpen to bring in Caitlin Benningfield, who closed the game with a strikeout on four pitches.
Guest threw 5.0 innings, striking out two and allowed one run on four hits. Capek allowed one hit with two strikeouts in 1.2 innings and Benningfield earned the save.
The Lobos head into the Mountain West Softball Championship as the No. 4 seed and will play Wednesday, May 6 at 3 p.m. PT/ 4 p.m. MT.