ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico baseball team (30-13) took a 2-1 advantage in the Rio Grande Rivalry series with a 10-4 win over the New Mexico State Aggies (22-18) Tuesday evening at Santa Ana Star Field.
Fresh off his third Mountain West Player of the Week honor, Carl Stajduhar had another multiple home run game for the Lobos. He finished 2-for-3 with two walks, three RBI and two runs scored. Andre Vigil continued to swing the bat well, finishing 3-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI.
“Carl Stajduhar was money,” said head coach Ray Birmingham. “He’s patient, taking the good at bats, his mechanics are good. He’s one of the best hitters in the country. In all of these early and extra BP sessions we have, he’s the first one out, he helps me set up. For some of these guys, the light hasn’t come on that the great hitters work harder than the average ones.”
The win went to James Harrington (7-1), who was lights out in 6.2 innings of work. He did not allow an earned run and limited the Aggies to four hits and one walk. Christian Tripp and Alex Estrella finished the game, combining for three strikeouts and four hits allowed.
“That’s a good baseball team,” Birmingham stated. “New Mexico State has a really good baseball team. (Harrington) kept them in check for six and a half innings. He should have had a shutout.”
The first half of the ball game moved quickly, as three runs were scored between the two sides. The Lobos took a lead early on the first blast from Stajduhar. With two outs, the designated hitter sent an opposite field homer over right field. After being blanked for two frames, the Aggies tied the game win a run in the third. The Lobos retook the lead in the fourth, on a two-out RBI single from Andre Vigil that plated Jared Holley.
The Lobos ran away with the game in the middle innings, on four runs in both the fifth and sixth. The entire fifth inning rally came with two outs on the board, starting with back-to-back walks from Dalton Bowers and Luis Gonzalez. After both runners stole base, a routine third out throw to first was off target, allowing both runners to score.
The error put Jared Holley on first base, but he wouldn’t be there long. On the first pitch of the at bat, Stajduhar pelted his second home run of the game over left field, giving the Lobos a 6-1 lead.
New Mexico repeated in the sixth, beginning with a leadoff single by Vigil. Erick Migueles reached base on a fielder’s choice, but Vigil was called safe at second on a bobbled catch. Bowers brought Vigil around on a single to the left side, before Gonzalez secured two RBI with a double to right centerfield. Holley capped off the middle inning explosion with a RBI single to right field, putting the Lobos up 10-1.
Harrington held the Aggies back during the middle innings, and at one point retired 10 straight batters. After four straight zeros on the board, the Aggies scored two runs in the eighth inning and one final run in the ninth to secure the final score.
The Lobos ended their homestand and will hit the road for a three-game series against Arizona State, beginning Friday at 7:30 p.m. MST. The series will broadcast on ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM.
NOTES: In the fourth inning, Holley was hit by pitch for the 38th time in his career, tying a school record set by Joe Salas…This is the second multiple home run game for Stajduhar this season (last on March 22 at Texas Tech) and the third of his career…This is the program’s 157th win over New Mexico State and the 76th at home…The Lobos batted .467 with two outs on the board Tuesday.
Lobos Down New Mexico State, 10-4
