Staff Report
The UNM softball team came two runs short of staging a nine-run comeback Thursday at Lobo Field. The Lobos lost the second game of a doubleheader 12-10 against the Brigham Young University Cougars after dropping the first game 11-1.
In the second game, the Lobos started off down nine runs before scoring 10 in the fifth and sixth innings.
With the Lobos up by one heading into the final inning, UNM relief pitcher Caley Peterson gave up three runs, allowing the Cougars to weather UNM's comeback.
The Lobos almost staged another comeback when pinch-hitter Ashley Allen led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double to right field. She was left stranded at second after BYU reliever Summer Tobias struck out the next two batters and then forced Cassie Chavez to pop up in the infield.
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A large chunk of the comeback came from the bat of senior Kristina Schmallen who belted a grand slam in the sixth inning. It was her team-leading 10th home run of the season to go along with her team-leading 44 RBIs.
Schmallen is tied for fourth on the UNM single-season home run list as well as fourth in RBIs. It's a huge improvement for Schmallen from her junior campaign when she had only two home runs and 13 RBIs in 45 games. Schmallen's five RBIs in the game were a career-high. Her 3-for-5 day at the plate was joined by Lindsey Elcess' 3-for-6 performance. Elcess is tied for fifth for RBIs in a season with 36 this year. The three-hit outing for Elcess continued her 13-game hitting streak.
Peterson took the loss for UNM and fell to 4-6 on the season, while BYU's Tobias got her second win of the day to improve to 12-7.
The loss dropped UNM to 20-20 on the season and 1-7 in the Mountain West Conference. BYU, the defending MWC Champion, improved to 26-14 and 6-2 in the MWC.
In the first game, Ianeta Le'i drove in six runs for the Cougars as the Lobos were mercy-ruled in five innings because of the 10-run deficit. The Lobos' one run came off Schmallen's single that drove home freshman Analise Rubalcava in the bottom of the fourth inning. Pitcher Katie Gregg took the loss for UNM, falling to 11-5 on the season, while Tobias got the win.
The Lobos play another doubleheader against the University of Utah on Sunday at Lobo Field. The first game starts at noon.
