New Mexico baseball wasted no time building a huge lead as it tried to get the bitter taste of defeat out of its mouth in the second of a three-game series against Air Force.
The Falcons (24-21, 11-14 MW) came screaming back with rally in the later innings again, but this time New Mexico (27-20-1, 17-4-1 MW) held on for a 12-9 victory to even the series.
Lobo right-hander Johnathon Tripp got off to a great start on the mound, throwing multiple hitless innings. He made one early mistake, leaving a pitch out there that Falcon Nic Ready gave a ride for a two-run homer in the second inning. But the damage was inconsequential at the time.
UNM had already charged out of the gate with a two-run lead after one inning of play. Luis Gonzalez drew a lead-off walk and promptly stole second base. He eventually scored on a sacrifice fly and first baseman Jack Zoellner added a solo home run to make the score 2-0.
The Lobos responded in the bottom of the second with three more runs. The team stole another bag that lead to a run scored from Hayden Schilling. Gonzalez later juiced a pitch down the left field line for a two run homer and a 5-2 lead.
New Mexico posted more big numbers with a four-run third inning. Third baseman Carl Stajduhar accounted for UNM’s third home run of the game — a solo shot. Schilling scored on a wild pitch after he legged out a triple in his at-bat.
The run was sandwiched between a pair of others and the Lobos seemed well in control, up 9-2. Stajduhar also went deep in the bottom of the fourth for his second home run of the game.
Tripp continued to have his way with Falcon hitters. He pitched a scoreless third, fourth and fifth inning and got some more support as he entered the sixth inning with a 10-2 lead.
But then-things got a little ugly. Air Force roughed up Tripp in the sixth and seventh innings, scoring four and three runs, respectively.
An error in the sixth compounded the problem as three runs scored after the ball bounced off outfielder Beau Capanna’s glove and went over the fence to make the score 10-6.
UNM continued to benefit from the long ball though, with a pair of solo jacks in the sixth inning from Stajduhar — his third one of the game — and Zoellner for a 12-6 advantage.
Tripp’s night ended after he gave up three runs off two homers in the top half of the seventh. Nathaniel Garley came on in relief and recorded the final out to keep the score at 12-9.
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New Mexico, perhaps not wanting a repeat of blowing a four-run lead Friday night, went back on the offensive after the seventh inning stretch.
The team got the first two men on base and loaded them up with one out. Stajduhar had an opportunity to hit his fourth home run in four at-bats, but went down on strikes. But Zoellner dug in and plated two runs with a single to right field.
Danny Collier followed suite with another single, scoring two more runs to go back out in front 16-9. Garley stayed on the bump for the Lobos, and the move paid off as he pitched a scoreless eighth, despite surrendering a leadoff hit, issuing a walk and throwing a wild pitch.
The Lobos added an insurance run in the bottom of the frame and stuck with Garley in the ninth inning to close things out. He had plenty of wiggle room and surrendered one en route to a 17-10 victory for New Mexico.
The rubber match will take place on Sunday, May 7 at 1 p.m. with the game being carried on ESPN radio, 101.7 the TEAM.
Robert Maler is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers football and men’s and women’s tennis. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @robert_maler.
