In the series opener on Friday night, the Lobos were finally able to put some runs on the board, but they just couldn't quite find enough in a 7-6 loss to Utah State. They outhit Utah State nine to six, but four USU homers, which accounted for all seven of their runs, proved to be the difference.
Kianna Spencer started in the circle for the Lobos, pitching three innings and giving up five runs on four hits, as well as a walk and three strikeouts. UNM struck first, as a Cameryn O'Grady double in the top of the first drove home Aleyah Wilbon to give the Lobos a 1-0 lead.
The Aggies answered right back, however, with a solo shot in the bottom half of the inning tying the game at one. Utah State took the lead in the second with a two-run home run from Bailey Lewis and never looked back.
Utah State would hit two more home runs, both two-run blasts, one in the third to make it 5-1 and one in the fourth to secure the win.
After the Lobos early run, they didn't get on the board again until the fourth, when they scored three. A Taylor Jones single up the middle scored Bailey KIitzke. Afterwards, a single from Wilbon loaded the bases before a wild pitch scored Monica Salas from third. Andrea Howard would reach via the walk re-loaded the bases, but the only other run scored in the inning came on another wild pitch that brought Jones home from third and left UNM down 5-4.
After the Aggies homerun in the bottom of the fourth, the Lobos would add two more in the fifth thanks to Klitzke's first career home run, but that was all the scoring that was in store for the Lobos in the one-run loss.
On Saturday, the Lobos snapped their nine-game conference losing streak with a 6-3 win. Kennedy Ferguson got the start in the circle for UNM, going five innings and giving up five hits, three runs, two walks and striking out one. UNM once again outhit the Aggies, this time 9-7.
The Aggies started the scoring putting up, scoring once in each of the first two innings before UNM got its offense going in the third inning, tacking on four runs.
The Lobo rally started with singles from DeFlora and Wilbon before Cameryn O'Grady walked to load the bases. Lauren Wilmert came up next and gave the Lobos a two-run lead with one swing of the bat, hitting a home run to right. Klitzke followed with a double but was left stranded.
UNM loaded the bases again, but were unable to drive any more runs across in the fourth. Utah State would score their third and final run of the game in the fifth inning, Ferguson's last.
A Wilmert double in the seventh would turn into a run on a Klitzke double before a Sydney Broderick double drove in Klitzke from third to push the lead to 6-3. Spencer would close out the game to earn the save.
Things didn't go the Lobos way in their attempts to claim the series victory, as they fell 8-0 in five innings in the series finale. UNM only managed four hits, and things were out of hand early as Ferguson gave up six runs in the first inning of the game. Ferguson was hit by a comebacker early in the game, before the Aggies onslaught began. She was replaced by Emma Seltzer who gave up one run in 1 2/3 innings. Klitzke finished the game in the circle for UNM, giving up one run in 2 1/3 innings.
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Wilbon, Klitzke, O'Grady and Salas each had one one hit for the Lobos to make up their tally.
UNM returns home on Tuesday to play UTEP at 3 p.m.
Cameron Goeldner is a senior reporter and photographer for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers men’s soccer, women’s basketball, softball and the Albuquerque Isotopes, but also contributes content for all other sports. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @goeldfinger.
