Staff Report
Lobo first baseman Chris Alexander homered twice Sunday and UNM got its only win against 16th-ranked UNLV so far this year, 13-10.
The home runs were the 24th and 25th of the season for Alexander, setting a new Lobo and Mountain West Conference record.
The Lobos got into early trouble, down 5-2 in the third, but Alexander crushed his second home run of the game with two on, tying the score 5-5.
UNLV's Fernando Valenzuela put the Rebels back on top in the fourth with a home run that scored three. However, the Lobos mounted a rally that same inning starting with a triple by Cory Lizzaraga, who later scored on a sacrifice bunt.
Sean Murray had a solo home run in the sixth that closed the gap to 8-7 and the Lobos tied the score when Mike Svetlic cranked an RBI single to score Lizzaraga two batters later.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
It was senior shortstop Dusty Young who gave UNM its first lead of the entire weekend series. With two outs in the sixth, Matt Young reached base on a single and Dusty Young brought him in with his eighth home run of the year.
UNLV managed to battle back and tie the game but the Lobos went ahead for good in the eighth on an RBI by Dusty Young. Alexander brought in two more that same inning to net the final score.
It was the last home game for seniors Chris Alexander, Dusty Young, Cory Lizarraga and Chad Giannetti, all of whom played big parts in the win. Giannetti relieved starter Darren Coltrinari in the fifth and pitched the next three innings, holding the Rebels scoreless in the fifth and sixth, and getting the first two outs in the seventh before he was relieved by Joe Salas.
The Lobos began the series Friday night at Isotopes Park marking their first game in their future home for 2004.
James Vermilyea started the game and gave up five runs in the first two innings but then settled down and held the Rebels scoreless until a passed ball in the ninth with the score tied 5-5. That error brought home the winning run for UNLV. Vermilyea struck out nine and walked only one.
UNM battled back the whole game Friday, scoring runs in the third, fifth, seventh and eighth innings. Josh Mader tied the score in the eighth with a hard shot to the shortstop that scored Dusty Young from third base. After the passed ball put the Rebels ahead, the Lobos went down in order and the game was lost 6-5.
The teams returned to Lobo Field for Saturday's game and the end result was the same. UNLV once again took an early 5-0 lead. The Lobos managed to get within three runs in the third, but could not get their bats going for most of the remaining innings, while UNLV kept scoring. Joe Salas hit a three run homer in the ninth that ended UNM's scoring drought, but it wasn't enough as the Lobos fell 13-5.
The Lobos are 17-10 in the Mountain West Conference and sit alone in second place, ahead of BYU but well behind UNLV, which clinched the top spot with its series win this weekend.
UNM travels to San Diego State University Friday for its last series before the MWC tournament.
