It took an extra inning to do it, but a two-run single from junior outfielder Jeff Deimling, as well as a solid outing from sophomore reliever Nathaniel Garley, willed the University of New Mexico baseball team to its first win of the season over Cal Poly, 3-1, on Saturday in Surprise, Arizona.
Senior outfielder Danny Collier led the 10th inning with a single, before a sac-bunt led to the Lobos’ first out. But junior outfielder Jared Mang laid down a bunt, which Cal Poly threw away, to put runners in scoring position. From there, Deimling connected on a pitch for a two-run single, ultimately giving his team the win.
Deimling also scored the Lobos’ (1-1) lone run before winning the game, when he scored a runner on a fielder’s choice in the sixth inning.
“Jeff had all three of our RBIs tonight and took his two-strike approach seriously in the 10th when some others did not,” UNM head coach Ray Birmingham said, according to a press release.
That wasn’t all, though.
Garley, in five innings of relief for UNM, didn’t allow one Cal Poly (1-1) hit, while also notching seven strikeouts.
“We got a great job of pitching by the freshman (Robert) Gasser and the sophomore Garley,” Birmingham said. “It was really good and refreshing that our pitching carried us. Our upperclassmen are tightening up a bit in some situations — but they’ll get used to it. I’m going to keep putting them out there.”
Junior closer Christian Tripp picked up in the bottom of the 10th with one out, as he retired the next two as both batters hit flyouts.
In the end, Garley notched a win to his name, marking his first win as a collegiate pitcher.
Gasser started on the mound for UNM, pitching 4.1 innings and allowing one run on five hits. The run was a solo homer in the fourth inning.
The Lobos had seven hits total, with seven different players contributing. Freshmen Garrett Gouldmsith and Phillip Sikes, notably, recorded their first collegiate hits.
Up next for the Lobos is a matchup with Gonzaga on Sunday at 5 p.m., before they rematch with No. 2 Oregon State come Monday.
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Gonzaga is 0-2 so far this season.
Matthew Narvaiz is a senior sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers men’s and women’s basketball and baseball. He can be contacted at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @matt_narvaiz.
