ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — If you are only going to lead once, make sure it’s at the end. That’s exactly what the New Mexico Lobos did as a pair of local products teamed up in the bottom of the 10th inning to walk-off No. 7 Texas Tech 6-5. Andre Vigil lined a one out single and on a hit and run, scored on a short double by Dalton Bowers to give UNM a win in a game it never led until the end.
The win pushed UNM to 27-12 overall and ended Texas Tech’s 10-game winning streak. The Red Raiders dropped to 30-10, and the win gives UNM a win over a top-10 RPI team as Texas Tech entered the game at No. 10 in the latest RPI.
Just getting the game to extra innings was a chore, as starter James Harrington lasted just four innings, allowing four runs. UNM was down 4-0 in the third when the comeback began. Luis Gonzalez walked, stole second and scored on a single by the blazing hot Jared Holley, cutting the lead to 4-1. Texas Tech pushed it back to 5-1 with a pair of back-to-back back doubles with one out off of Christian Tripp. However, from that moment on, Tripp and five other relievers (Jacob Nelson, Taylor Duree, Drew Bridges, Fernando Fernandez and Alex Estrella) combined to throw 5.2 innings of no-hit relief.
That’s what kept UNM in the game and allowed them to rally. “Our bullpen was awesome today,” said head coach Ray Birmingham. “They gave us a chance, and it was great because it was a group of guys.”
Down 5-1, UNM made a game of it in the bottom of the fifth, chasing starter Ty Damron with a pair of runs. Bowers walked, Gonzalez had a bunt single and Holley doubled to make it 5-2. Chris DeVito grounded out to make it 5-3 and that’s where it stayed until UNM put up single tallies in the eighth, ninth and tenth innings.
In the eighth, pinch hitter Erick Migueles worked a four-pitch walk, and then with Reece Weber running, Andrew Pratt singled. UNM got the break it needed when Trey Ochoa, who had just come into the game short, bobbled a routine grounder for an error. That led to an unearned run when Bowers beat out a potential double play ball for a run-scoring force out to make it 5-4.
In the ninth with Pitcher of the Year candidate Hayden Howard in for the save, Chris DeVito doubled with one out. DeVito, who was named to the Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List about 30 minutes prior to that at bat, was lifted for a pinch runner in Austin Bell. Carl Stajduhar grounded out, leaving it up to Michael Eaton, playing his first game since March 19, almost exactly a month.
Eaton looked a ball, then missed a pitch before laced a ball just inches fair down the line in right field to tie the game.
UNM then escaped a bases loaded jam in the 10th when Alex Estrella walked two and hit a batter, but Tech couldn’t cash in. UNM did instead. With one out, Vigil drilled a single past a diving Michael Davis at third, and then on a 1-1 pitch, he took off for second. Bowers lined a clean ball into the vacated hole and with the right fielder shaded towards the line, Bowers stretched for a double. When the throw from Steven Smith missed the cutoff man, Vigil, running all the way, scored to give UNM the win.
“That’s pretty cool for us and New Mexico,” said Birmingham. “That’s Volcano Vista and Sandia Prep getting a win for our state.” Birmingham was referring to Vigil and Bowers, former Volcano Vista teammates, along with Eaton, who played at Sandia Prep.
Estrella picked up the win for UNM, improving to 2-1 on the season. UNM now readies for an important conference battle as the Lobos will take on San Diego State. The first place Lobos look to win their seventh consecutive series starting on Friday at 6 p.m. at Santa Ana Star Field. Games will continue Saturday at 2 and Sunday at 1. All fans should enter the parking areas and stadium on the south side instead of the usual WisePies Arena lot entrance due to the set-up for the Gathering of Nations event.
All three games will be shown on uPublic 26 and via GoLobos.com, and all three will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM with a stream also available at www.1017theteam.com.
NOTES: Taylor Duree made his 74th appearance for UNM, one behind Joe Coleman for the program record … after a short 0-for-9 skid, DeVito went 2-for-4 … Andrew Pratt made his second career start behind the plate, going 1-for-4 … Stajduhar saw his nine-game hitting streak end, but Luis Gonzalez extended his to a season-best nine in a row, and Vigil extended his to six in a row … Estrella has now allowed 11 hits in 19.2 innings … UNM’s team ERA dropped just under five to 4.98 … UNM is now 2-1 in extra innings.
Lobos Rally to Defeat No. 7 Texas Tech 6-5 in Extras
