Second Inning Leads to Lobo Loss to Rams in Series Finale
FORT COLLINS, Colo.— The Lobos dropped the series finale at Colorado State 16-0 in five innings after the Rams broke the game open in the second inning with 12 runs on seven hits.
UNM started off with runners on base in the top of the first following consecutive singles by DeNae Vasquez-Dickson and Keyannah Chavez with Vasquez-Dickson moving to third on the play to put runners on the corners with one out. However, an unsuccessful double steal resulted in both runners being thrown out to end the inning.
Making her first appearance since Feb. 16, Amber Linton got the start and while the leadoff Ram reached on a walk, Linton evaded any damage as the runner was called for leaving early on the next at-bat and struck out the next Ram looking for two quick outs. A walk and fly ball to Elizabeth Baylor in right ended the inning.
Chloe Yeatts led off the second with a single to left and reached second before the inning came to an end, with the Rams having their leadoff batter reach on a walk to start the home half.
CSU loaded the bases before a single to right field scored two in what amounted to three pitchers being used and 12 runs scoring before a fly ball to Chavez in left ended the inning.
The Lobos had one more runner reach in the top of the third on a two-out single to right by Rachael Hathoot, extending her on-base streak to 23 games and her hitting streak to five.
Colorado State added to its lead with two runs in both the third and fourth for the final runs of the game.
UNM finished with four hits in the game, all coming from the top four hitters in the lineup of Hathoot, Vasquez-Dickson, Chavez and Yeatts, and were the only Lobos to reach base in the game.
Linton went 1.0 inning in the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) on three hits with one strikeout and three walks, before McKenna Guest entered in relief in the second and faced five Rams with one strikeout, two hits and four runs allowed. Kenzie Jones pitched the remaining 2.2 innings and also recorded a strikeout, allowing four hits, six runs (five earned).
The Lobos are off until April 16, when they face New Mexico State at home at 4 p.m.