Baseball: Lobos drop series finale, win first two against SDSU

On Saturday, in the University of New Mexico baseball team’s series finale at Tony Gwynn Stadium against No. 23 San Diego State, the Lobos fell 3-2.

It was a game of pitching, as both teams put together strong performances on the mound. UNM sophomore Cody Dye, who got the start on the mound, pitched 4.1 innings and allowed five hits and three runs over that time. The Lobos’ last two pitchers — junior Chad Smith and sophomore Drew Gillespie — each allowed just two hits and no runs to close out the game.

For SDSU, junior Garrett Hill pitched 8.1 innings from the start. And in that time, he allowed just one run on three hits, while also striking out seven UNM batters. It moved him to 6-0 on the season.

Though SDSU didn’t get a hit in the bottom of the first inning, it did have runners still reach base. Dye walked the lead off hitter and another batter with two outs, putting runners on first and second base. But on the next at-bat, the Lobos (12-13-1, 6-6 MW) were able to make the play at second base on a fielder’s choice.

After Hill retired the side in the top of the second inning for the Aztecs (18-9, 7-4), his team was able to pick up steam in the bottom of the frame. The lead off hitter for SDSU in the inning, sophomore Julian Escobedo, was able to reach on a single before he eventually stole second base one out later. That’s when, with a runner in scoring position, SDSU freshman Joe Fitzhugh notched a single to score the runner and give the Aztecs a 1-0 lead.

The third and fourth innings went scoreless before the Aztecs scored again. In the fifth inning, SDSU put together two runs. On the first at-bat, the Aztecs picked up a double on Dye. After a strikeout from the Lobos, an SDSU batter was walked, prompting the Lobos to take out Dye in replacement for Smith. Those runs put SDSU up 3-0.

It wasn’t until the top of the ninth inning that UNM made some noise. With one out, senior Danny Collier was able to reach base on a walk. That’s when Mang smacked a two-run homer to left field to bring the Lobos within just one run, 3-2, and one out. But on the next at-bat, freshman Connor Mang hit a fly out and, on UNM’s final at-bat, junior Jeff Deimling struck out swinging to end the game. SDSU won the series finale, 3-2.

For the Lobos on Saturday, the elder Mang went 1-for-4 at the plate with one run and two RBI. The Lobos had four hits total.

In 4.1 innings on the mound, Dye picked up the loss to put him at 2-4 on the season.

Up next for UNM is a stand-alone game against the Arizona Wildcats Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Santa Ana Star Field.

Matthew Narvaiz is a senior sports reporter for the Daily Lobo. He primary covers men’s and women’s basketball and baseball. He can be contacted at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @matt_narvaiz.