Game two of a three-game series against Fresno State didn't play out in UNM’s favor once again. The Lobos fell 16-2 to the Bulldogs on Saturday evening at Pete Beiden Field.
The loss marks two straight for UNM (28-22-1, 18-6-1 Mountain West), while also putting them in a tight situation for first place in the Mountain West standing as the next closest competitor, San Diego State, who won their game on Saturday over Air Force.
Fresno State (28-22, 15-11 Mountain West) got out to a quick start on offense, scoring two runs in the first inning while holding UNM scoreless to start the game, giving the home team a 2-0 advantage.
Again the Bulldogs tallied more runs to its lead in the third inning as well, adding four to its stat line. UNM couldn't answer in the inning once again, and Fresno State jumped out to a comfortable 6-0 lead over the first place team in the Mountain West.
UNM managed to get their first run in the top of the fourth inning. Carl Stajduhar led off the inning with a ground rule double, Danny Collier followed with a single — putting runners at the corners — and Hayden Schilling followed suit with a sacrifice fly that drove Stajduhar home to shorten Fresno State’s lead 6-1.
But the run that the Lobos scored didn't sit well with the home team, as Fresno State tallied on a whopping seven runs in the bottom of the frame. Fresno State’s inning was highlighted by a Jared Akins three-run homer, putting the Bulldogs up 13-1.
UNM answered with only one run in the top of the ninth inning, while Fresno State added two in the fifth and one in the seventh to take their second victory in the series over the Lobos, 16-2.
The Lobos’ second and last run in the game came in the top of the ninth in a do-or-die situation.
UNM had eight hits as a team and were paced by Luis Gonzalez, who went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Stajduhar had two hits in the game, too, while adding a run.
Starting pitcher Johnathon Tripp picked up the loss for the Lobos, giving up eight runs and six hits in 2.2 innings on the mound. The loss puts Tripp at 5-2 on the season.
Lobo head coach Ray Birmingham felt that pitching was once again UNM’s downfall.
“Our pitching got hammered tonight, and they pitched outstanding,” Birmingham said in a press release. “It was really as simple as that.”
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Game three starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 14. Gonzalez (4-2, 5.81 ERA) will get the start on the mound for UNM, while Fresno State has yet to announce a starter.
Matthew Narvaiz is a sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers baseball and women's basketball. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @matt_narvaiz.
