Open Announce

Lobos fall short to No. 2 Oregon State in opener

SURPRISE, Ariz. — The University of New Mexico baseball team battled No. 2 Oregon State, but fell short as the Lobos dropped their season opener 5-2 to the Beavers at the College Baseball Classic at Surprise Stadium.

“Be patient with this team because we’re going to be really good,” UNM coach Ray Birmingham said. “We have a lot of young pups out there. But like I told them, everyone just needs to be patient because we will get there.”
 
UNM and starting pitcher Justin Slaten matched zeroes with Oregon State through the first three innings before a walk and back-to-back home runs in the fourth by the Beavers made it 3-0.
 
Oregon State added two more in the fifth off of Slaten before the Lobos answered against Beaver ace Luke Heimlich in the next half inning
 
Freshman Connor Mang led off the sixth with a single to right center (his first collegiate hit) and fellow freshman Garrett Gouldsmith followed with a walk to put two on with no outs.
 
Danny Collier grounded into a fielder’s choice to put runners at the corners before Hayden Schilling grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Mang for the Lobos’ first run of the game and season. Schilling then stole second – which turned out big as on the next pitch Jared Mang singled to left to score the junior shortstop to make it 5-2.
 
But that’s the last hit – and base runner – the Lobos had as Oregon State went to reliever Brandon Eisert and he tossed a perfect final three innings.
 
Collier, Schilling and the Mang brothers each singled for the Lobos for their four hits in the contest.
 
Slaten picked up the loss, going 4.2 innings and giving up five runs on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks. The Lobo bullpen was strong as they didn’t give up a run over the final 3.1 innings – including Chad Smith going 2.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
 
Heimlich got the win for Oregon State, going six innings and giving up two runs (he had a 0.74 ERA last season) on four hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Eisert got the save, going the final three innings and striking out three.
 
UNM returns to action 5 p.m. Saturday as the Lobos take on Cal Poly in Surprise, Arizona.