Slaten dominant as Lobos blank Chippewas 6-0
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Justin Slaten and Chad Smith combined for The University of New Mexico baseball team’s first shutout in 68 games as the Lobos used a pair of key two-out hits to break through and beat Central Michigan 6-0 Friday night at Santa Ana Star Field.
Slaten, a sophomore, went seven innings and gave up three hits – not allowing one until the fifth inning – and struck out eight without walking a batter in picking up his first win of the season. Smith followed and gave up just one hit with a strikeout in two innings – also not walking a batter, a welcomed relief for UNM (3-3) after walking eight in Thursday’s win.
“It’s been awhile where we had our starter go that long and not give up a walk,” UNM coach Ray Birmingham said. “It was great to see Justin and Chad come in and get ahead throwing strikes.”
Central Michigan (2-4) starter Tyler Hankins was matching zeroes with Slaten through the first three innings and appeared he was going to get out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the fourth after the Lobos hit into a 1-2-3 double play to put runners on second and third with two outs.
But freshman Garrett Gouldsmith made the Chippewas pay for playing him shallow as he hit a ball over the right fielder’s head for a two-run triple to give UNM a 2-0 lead. Senior Danny Collier followed with an RBI single to right to make it 3-0 Lobos.
B3 | THE FRESHMAN COMES THROUGH! Gouldsmith with a two-run triple to give the Lobos a 2-0 lead on Central Michigan. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/Zcdh9PAHfP
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) February 24, 2018
The Lobos added two more in the sixth on a Larry Leitha RBI double and a Collier sacrifice fly and another in the seventh on a Phillip Sikes RBI groundout to make it 6-0.
That was more than enough for Slaten as he retired Central Michigan in order in four of his seven innings of work and a runner never made it to second base until there was two outs in the seventh inning.
“I was just hitting spots and (catcher) Robby (Campillo) was back there calling a good game for me,” Slaten said. “I just stuck with the plan and went after them.”
It’s the first time the Lobos have blanked an opponent since Colton Thomson threw a shutout against Nevada in the Mountain West Tournament on May 25, 2016.
T4 | Slaten with a strikeout to end the fourth as he’s retired 12 of the 13 batters he’s faced with only a hit batter in the third inning. UNM and Central Michigan scoreless. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/zT4OVFPp3m
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) February 24, 2018
Connor Mang paced UNM at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs. Collier and Gouldsmith each finished with two RBI apiece.
Hankins got the loss for CMU, going 5.1 innings and giving up five runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. No CMU hitter had multiple hits and the only extra-base hit came from Daniel Robinson in the ninth inning (a double).
The Lobos and Chippewas play game three of their series 2 p.m. Saturday at Santa Ana Star Field.