by Brandon Call
Daily Lobo
The UNM baseball team fell short of sweeping San Diego State this weekend but won its first series in conference play.
After winning the first two games of a 3-game series against the Aztecs, UNM lost 11-6 in game 3 on Sunday at Isotopes Park.
After the series, UNM improved to 14-18 and 3-3 in the Mountain West Conference, while SDSU dropped to 18-14 and 3-2.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Head coach Rich Alday said the Lobos showed some positives in the series win.
"We played really well in the
series," he said. "We were a bit inconsistent at times, but overall, we came out on top, so I can't be too unhappy."
The Lobos won the opener 11-5 on Friday.
Junior pitcher Bobby LaFromboise threw eight innings of four-hit ball in his fifth win of the
season.
The Lobos continued their winning streak Saturday, defeating the Aztecs 8-4.
Lobo Stephen Smith pitched a career-high 7 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and striking out five.
Lobo Matt Hibbitts was 2-for-3 on Saturday with a double, a single and a team-high four RBIs, while teammate Daniel Stovall went 2-for-4 with two doubles and
two RBIs.
Freshman starting pitcher Ryan Escarcega gave up five runs on six hits in two innings Sunday.
Alday said SDSU was able to gain the momentum early.
"We had a freshman pitcher on the mound and a freshman at shortstop, and we weren't able to get that third out," he said. "Instead of scoring one run in the second, they scored four. The errors that we made early on set the tone for the game."
UNM rallied in the second and third innings, scoring six runs to lead 6-5.
However, Aztec third baseman Nick Romero smashed a two-run homer in the fourth, and UNM never recovered.
The Aztecs added four more runs in the eighth to seal the game.
UNM will travel to SDSU, Air Force and Utah before returning home April 27 to take on Hawaii-Hilo in a nonconference matchup.
Alday said the road trip will test his team.
"It is not easy going on the road," he said. "You are sleeping in a hotel, and our student-athletes are missing class. It's just a difficult
situation."
Before hitting the road, UNM will take on the Albuquerque
Isotopes on Tuesday in an
exhibition game.
Last year, the Isotopes downed the Lobos 6-2.
The game will provide entertainment for fans and players,
Alday said.
"It will just be a good time for fans," he said. "We get the opportunity to compete against a Triple-A team, and it will just be fun for the players to see where they stack up."
Baseball vs. Albuquerque Isotopes
Tuesday, 6:05 p.m.
Isotopes Park
