SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The University of New Mexico baseball team (14-7, 6-1 MW) started its three-game road series against the San Diego State Aztecs (4-15, 1-4 MW) with a 5-3 victory Thursday.
Two-way sophomore Luis Gonzalez (2-0) had a big night, earning the Thursday night start while hitting in the leadoff position. Gonzalez pitched 7.2 innings, holding the Aztecs to two earned runs while striking out six batters. With 32 batters faced, he limited the home team to eight hits and one walk.
“The game ball goes to the pitching performance of Luis Gonzalez,” stated head coach Ray Birmingham. “Outstanding job by a sophomore. For us to win another conference championship, pitching has to carry the team.”
Offensively, Gonzalez taliied two RBI, going 1-for-4 with a sacrifice fly. Dan Collier finished 2-for-3 with two runs, while Jared Holley went 2-for-4 with a RBI.
The Lobos struck first with a run in the top of the third inning. Collier led off the frame with his team’s first hit, a high-hopping infield single. Reece Weber followed up with a sacrifice bunt, setting up Gonzalez’s RBI shot to right field.
The Aztecs nearly rallied on the bottom side of the third, putting runners on the corners with no outs. However, Gonzalez picked up three straight strikeouts to keep the home team scoreless. His streak of K’s would run to five in a scoreless fourth inning.
New Mexico had its best inning in the fifth, driving in four runs. Jared Mang and Collier hit back-to-back singles to start the side before Weber loaded the bases on a walk. Bowers earned a single just out of reach of the Aztec second baseman, scoring Mang. Collier scored on Gonzalez’s second RBI, coming on a sacrifice fly to right centerfield. Holley kept the rally going with a RBI double to left field. With two runners still on base, Chris DeVito and Jack Zoellner each drew a walk to plate the team’s fifth run.
In the bottom of the fifth, The Aztecs earned two runs to put them on the board. With the lead cut to three runs, Gonzalez rebounded with a perfect sixth inning and another scoreless frame in the seventh. San Diego State tacked on another run in the eight, but Victor Sanchez closed the show with a scoreless ninth, earning his sixth save.
With a 1-0 series lead, the first-place Lobos will face the Aztecs in game two Friday at 6 p.m. PST/7 p.m. MST.
Notes: This was the program’s 72nd win against San Diego State and its 30th at their venue…This was Gonzalez’s longest career start, beating his previous high of five innings pitched at Grand Canyon on March 16…Sanchez now has 18 career saves, a school record, and six this season, five away from the single-season record…The Lobos are now 3-0 in opening Mountain West Conference series this season.