Allowing its opponent to grab hold of an early lead didn’t stop the University of New Mexico, as the baseball team came roaring back to beat San Jose State Saturday afternoon.
After letting San Jose State score eight runs in the first four innings of play, the Lobos silenced the Spartan bats. New Mexico (10-3) trailed 8-2 entering the bottom of the
UNM’s pitching got pummeled early on, as the starter, Johnathon Tripp, allowed 10 hits and eight runs in four innings on the mound.
But Austin Isenhart – who came in as relief for Tripp, Chad Smith, and Brandon Langan, the closer, combined to shut down San Jose State the rest of the way.
The three relievers allowed didn’t surrender a run and allowed just three hits in five innings of work. Those hits all came off Isenhart, who got the win.
As it was Friday evening, hitting for the Lobos was not an issue. The team put up 16 runs on 18 to exceed its season average, despite failing to hit any
Sophomore outfielder Jared Mang went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, knocking it three runs and scoring four to lead the way for UNM.
Freshman Beau Capanna also went nearly perfect in the batter’s box, going 4-for-5 with three RBI and one run scored. Two of Capanna’s hits were doubles.
Junior Luis Gonzalez put in another solid performance for New Mexico as well, going 3-for-5 with one RBI and three runs scored, registering a double and a triple in the effort.
But the game didn't start off the way the Lobos probably expected. The Spartans scored a combined six runs in the first three innings to grab a comfortable 6-1 lead, with the Lobos solo run coming from a Capanna RBI single in the bottom of the second.
Gonzalez – who singled and eventually reached third base on an error – was able to score on a Danny Collier RBI groundout in the bottom of the third inning. But in the ensuing inning, the Spartans tacked on two more runs to go up 8-2.
And then the Lobo comeback happened.
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In the bottom of the fourth, Mang was able to notch a two-run double and eventually scored himself on a wild pitch to trim the Spartans’ lead to only three runs, 8-5.
Isenhart entered as relief for Tripp in the top of the fifth inning and allowed only three hits in 2.2 innings on the mound.
The Lobos exploded in the bottom of the sixth inning, notching five runs on six hits in the inning to grab its first lead of the game over the Spartans, making the score 10-8.
In the seventh inning, the Spartans threatened with runners in scoring position, but Smith replaced Isenhart on the mound and got the Lobos out of the jam, allowing no runs in the inning.
UNM responded by scoring six runs in the bottom of the frame to grow their lead to 16-8, and from there never looked back.
Langan went on the mound for the Lobos in the eighth and tossed a one-two-three inning. Though he allowed a walk and another runner to reach base on a fielder’s choice, he closed things out in the ninth to preserve the win.
The relievers played a huge part in turning the tide of the game and snag the 16-8 victory, its second win in as many games over San Jose State in the three-game series.
The final game takes play Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcasted live on ESPN Radio 101.7, The TEAM.
Matthew Narvaiz is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers women's basketball and baseball. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @matt_narvaiz
