Ashley Shartzer delivered a clutch two-run homer that sent the UNM softball team to a 4-2 victory over BYU at Lobo Field Thursday.
After the Cougars tied the game 2-2 in the top of the fifth inning, freshman shortstop Ashley VanBoxmeer led off the bottom of the sixth with a base hit through the left side of the infield. With one out, Shartzer forced BYU pitcher Brooke Boyce to a full count and then blasted her next offering over the center field fence.
"It definitely pumped us up," senior center fielder Kelly Glass said. "We were starting to get flat and then Box got on and she hit it over. I kind of knew that we had the game at that point."
The Cougars jumped out to an early lead in the first inning when junior slugger Oli Keohohou nailed a leadoff homer to center field off Lobo pitcher Amy Dumas. One out later, BYU was poised to add to its lead with runners on first and second. Dumas, however, settled down and struck out the next two Cougar batters to end the threat.
"That first home run made me so mad," Dumas said. "Getting those two strikeouts really boosted my confidence level."
Dumas was stellar the rest of the way, allowing only one more run while pitching out of several jams.
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"Going from there set the pace," Dumas said. "I knew what I had to do and I had great defense behind me."
UNM didn't waste any time getting back in the game, tying the score in the bottom of the first. Glass led off the inning with a slow grounder to third. BYU third baseman Ashlyn Russell tried to get the speedy Glass at first but her throw sailed high and went all the way to the right field corner. Glass came around to score, beating the relay throw and tied the game 1-1. Glass said that she saw her coaches waving her around the bases but never even saw where the ball had gone.
In the bottom of the third, VanBoxmeer put the Lobos ahead with a two-out solo home run over the left-center field fence as UNM took its first lead of the game, 2-1.
"I felt it was a clutch situation and I needed to do it," VanBoxmeer said. "I got a pitch and took it."
The lead would not last long as the Cougars threatened in the top of the fifth. Keohohu led off with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Brooke Cadiente slapped a base hit to right field scoring Keohohou and tying the game 2-2.
Dumas allowed one more hit in the inning but escaped when Russell grounded out to second base.
BYU was poised to take the lead in the top of the sixth when it loaded the bases with one out. Kate Walker stepped to the plate and hit a hot shot down the third base line. Lobo third baseman Ora Hensley made a nice backhand stab and threw home for the force out. Catcher Kim Korsak took the throw and relayed the ball to first ahead of Walker for a big time double play to get out of the inning untouched.
"I knew if it came to me that I was going four," Hensley said. "It was hit right at me and I was expecting it."
Dumas finished off the game by forcing Russell to fly out to right field for the third and final out with a runner on first base.
The Cougars had runners on base almost every inning but could not cash in on their opportunities.
"With left 10 runners on base, which is uncharacteristic of us," BYU head coach Gordon Eaken said. "You have to give them credit. They outplayed us, they outscored us and they beat us."
The Lobos (17-27-1, 2-5 MWC) dropped the second game 5-2 as BYU (25-9, 3-2 MWC) ripped three home runs en route to victory. UNM is back in action Sunday when it takes on Utah for a doubleheader at 12 p.m. at Lobo Field.
