Senior lefty Jacob Norton flourished in his first start of the season, and the offense provided more than enough power.
The UNM baseball team improved to 5-0 after beating Texas Tech 7-3 on Wednesday at Isotopes Park.
Norton pitched 6 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits and two walks, striking out three. He didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning and gave up both runs in the seventh.
UNM head coach Ray Birmingham said Norton set the tone for Wednesday's win.
"Jake Norton showed some guts today, and he's capable of that," he said. "He's got some tremendous, tremendous attributes. He's a stud."
UNM got going on offense with a pair of blasts to left field in the second inning. Drew McDonald launched a ball over the left-field wall to start the inning.
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Rafael Neda grounded out, followed by Kevin Atkinson reaching second base on a double.
Brian Cavazos-Galvez then stepped up to the plate and launched a high-arching shot to deep left field, putting the Lobos up 3-0. Two batters later, Scott Gracey was hit by a pitch and then scored on Mike Brownstein's RBI double.
UNM ended the second inning scoring four runs on five hits and provided all the offense Norton and the pitching staff would need.
Cavazos-Galvez said he was able to connect well on the home run ball.
"I thought it had a chance," he said. "I just knew I hit it hard. I knew it was going to go pretty far."
The deep shot was just the start of an all-around impressive day for the right fielder. He finished 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBIs.
Cavazos-Galvez led off the fourth inning by tripling to left field and scoring on Dane Hamilton's sacrifice fly. He came up again in the fifth and doubled to right field, scoring McDonald and coming within a single of the cycle.
But when he came up to bat in the seventh inning, Cavazos-Galvez swung for the fences instead of trying to force the single and flew out to centerfield.
Cavazos-Galves said he was more concerned with helping the team than achieving an individual statistic in his last at-bat.
In the top of the seventh, Cavazos-Galvez prevented a possible Texas Tech rally when he made a diving catch with two outs and two runners on base.
Birmingham said Cavazos-Galvez - who was hitting just .214 entering Wednesday's game - should build a lot after the performance against Texas Tech.
"He won't struggle anymore," he said. "When a kid struggles, it's my job to help them unstruggle. We worked with him (Tuesday) on hitting, and it paid off."
UNM's perfect start will be tested as they go on the road for the first time this season, traveling to Texas State for a three-game series starting today. The Lobos will play a total of eight road games in the next 11 days.
Birmingham said providing offense might be a grind in their first road series.
"Texas State's really tough," he said. "It's not a hitter's yard. The ball doesn't carry. We got to plan our swings well and compete."
Baseball at Texas State,
Today, 5 p.m.
San Marcos, Texas
