ROSWELL, N.M. — Chris DeVito lined a two-out single to center to break a 2-2 tie and give UNM a 3-2 lead, which Alex Estrella easily preserved as the Lobos defeated New Mexico State by that score in a game played in front of a standing room only crowd in Roswell, N.M. The win was UNM’s 12th in the last 15 games.
The game was second of two neutral site games played by the two teams, with the Aggies winning 9-6 a month ago in El Paso. In that game, NMSU was the home team, but it was UNM at home in this contest, played at NMMI Ballpark on the campus of the New Mexico Military Institute.
The Lobos got a strong starting performance from Luis Gonzalez, who allowed just four hits and a single run over six solid innings. He left after giving up a run in the sixth, but he was in line for the win as UNM was up 2-1 at the time.
New Mexico took a 2-0 lead in the fourth as hot-hitting Austin Bell, who has taken over the left field spot for UNM, laced a two-run single, part of a near-perfect night in which he went 2-for-3 with a walk. UNM had the bases loaded in the fourth with one out after the hit by Bell, but UNM couldn’t cash in.
UNM went to James Harrington, who allowed a scratch run in the seventh on a two-out single that scored Cameron Haskins from second on a would-be bang-bang play at the plate, but the ball got free, tying the game at 2-2.
That set the stage for DeVito’s heroics. The inning started when Dalton Bowers walked on a 3-2 pitch. Gonzalez, who remained in the game as the DH, tried to sacrifice Bowers over, but reached on an error, putting runners on first and second. After a double play, NMSU brought in lefty Tyler Erwin to face the left-handed hitting DeVito, one of the top hitters in the nation.
That move backfired when DeVito ripped an 0-1 pitch to center to score Bowers, giving UNM a 3-2 lead. From there, Ray Birmingham turned the game over to Alex Estrella, and that was the perfect move. Estrella retired all six men he faced, including three via the strikeout as he picked up his third save of the season.
The win gives UNM more momentum as it heads for a weekend showdown with the Fresno State Bulldogs, whom the Lobos are tied with for first place in the Mountain West. Play begins on Friday at Santa na Star Field with first pitch at 6 p.m. Play continues Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at noon. The games will be available on ESPN Radio 101.7 THE TEAM, and the games will be streamed on GoLobos.com as well as an audio stream at www.1017theteam.com
NOTES: The Lobos picked up 0.375 points in the Rio Grande Rivalry and now leads 15.375 to 7.125. UNM clinched its ninth straight Rio Grande Rivalry title back in February after winning in swimming and diving … UNM has never the Rio Grande Rivalry in the nine years of contestation … Gonzalez lowered his ERA to 2.29 … Harrington is now tied for the team lead in wins with five … Bell is now hitting .444 …. DeVito leads the team with 41 RBI … UNM is now 16-2 when allowed five runs or less.
DeVito’s Clutch Hit Wins It for Lobos 3-2 Over NMSU
