In a game that ended as a taut, tense matchup, the Lobos tied the Northwestern Wildcats 3-3 after 11 innings in the finale of this weekend's Ultimate Dugout Baseball Fiesta Tournament.
Baseball games aren't supposed to end in a draw, but it was a suitable ending for such a bizarre contest.
After not hitting through more than seven innings, the Lobos managed some timely late-game hits and were able to capitalize on Northwestern's errors. Suddenly, in the eighth, the completely lopsided game had become much more intriguing.
UNM had to endure seven innings of brilliance from opposing pitcher Dan Brauer before they could hope to make a dent in the Wildcats' early lead.
Brauer started out strong, retiring the first three batters he faced, and on offense Northwestern struck early on a second-inning RBI double by Dan Pohlman that made the score 1-0.
The team added to its lead in the third with two more runs to make the score 3-0, and the way Brauer was throwing, that somewhat slim lead seemed safe.
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UNM got on the board in the fourth, after Ryan Barba hit a misplayed fly to center and was knocked in two batters later by Joe Salas's sacrifice grounder to first. The score was 3-1, but the sole Lobo run was unearned, and Brauer still appeared to be cruising.
With five solid innings of relief, the Lobo's bullpen kept the game within reach. Mike Smith, Jesse Kibler, Jackie Smith and Kevin Letz didn't give up a run over the last five innings, and though Brauer wasn't giving up any hits, his pitch-count climbed steadily past 100 into the seventh.
In the eighth, they finally broke him. With two outs and Matt Young on second, Barba clubbed a dart that was bobbled by the Wildcats' shortstop Jon Mikrut. Mikrut was slow getting the ball to first, and Barba reached safely. Young, meanwhile, rounded third and slid under an attempted tag to close the lead to 3-2.
After 117 pitches over seven-and-two-thirds innings of hitless hurling, Brauer was pulled from the mound.
Though he had to give up the ball, Lobo head coach Rich Alday said Brauer "did a hell of a job. He was a really good pitcher ... to no-hit us like that."
The Lobos quickly capitalized, as Sean Murray took replacement pitcher Chris Hayes's 3-1 offering into deep left center. It was the Lobos' first hit of the game, and Barba scored easily on the double.
Northwestern was in scoring position in the top of the ninth, when Mark Ori came to the plate looking to knock in runners on second and third with just one out. Ori smashed a Letz pitch to second, where freshman Matt Foote made a quick diving stop, shot up off the ground and rifled a throw home to just barely nail the runner trying to give Northwestern a lead.
Each team seemed to have a chance to take a lead in extra innings, but the score held up, and just before 3 p.m. the game was called so that Northwestern could catch a 4:30 p.m. flight home.
"We knew heading into the game that the cut-off was 2:30," Alday said. "We played one more inning after that. Those situations with the time limit come up, but it was a good ball game."
The Lobos took two tough losses in their first two games this weekend. Against Kent State on Friday they were demolished 15-3. Against Nebraska on Saturday they kept the game much closer taking a 7-6 lead into a 30-minute rain delay halfway through the fifth. Their edge wouldn't hold, however, and they ultimately fell to the No. 23 Huskers 12-8.
