Mang’s Homer Not Enough, UNM Drops Finale 3-2
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Jared Mang’s two-run home run in the ninth inning got the Lobos within a run, but Jorge Fernandez settled down and get the final two outs as the Lobos couldn’t complete a sweep of No. 23 San Diego State, losing the finale 3-2. The loss prevented UNM from a sweep, and it allowed San Diego State to move back into second place, while UNM ended the day in third.
A day after managing nine runs of just five hits, the Lobos only picked up four hits. San Diego State touched Cody Dye for a run on three singles in the second inning, and then in the fifth SDSU got two more. Chase Calabuig doubled in a run to end Dye’s day, and with Chad Smith on the mound, SDSU made it 3-0 on a sacrifice fly.
Smith threw 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, and Drew Gillespie added two as well and UNM’s bullpen has now thrown 18.0 innings without an earned run.
T9 | Jared Mang homers to cut the lead to 3-2 #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/KuOdKW0HMA
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 31, 2018
The three runs looked like plenty as the Lobos were never really able to solve the riddle of Garrett Hill, who moved into a tie for the most wins in the NCAA with his sixth, improving to 6-0. Hill shutout UNM for eight innings, allowing just a Hayden Schilling single in the first, a Phillip Sikes single in the third, and a Connor Mang single in the seventh.
After Danny Collier walked with one out in the ninth and Hill at 109 pitches, he was removed for closer Jorge Fernandez, but Jared Mang yanked Fernandez’s second pitch over the wall in left for a line drive two-run homer and suddenly it was 3-2.
However, that’s as close as UNM came. Connor Mang flew out to left and Jeff Deimling struck out to end the game.
Despite the loss, the Lobos became the first team to take a series from the Aztecs. UNM dropped to 12-13-1 overall and 6-6 in the Mountain West while SDSU is now 18-9 overall and 7-4 in the conference.
NOTES: UNM only struck out four batters, ending a string of eight straight games with at least eight Ks in a game … UNM’s bullpen in the series threw 14.2 innings, allowing nine hits (seven singles), one unearned run, walking one and striking out 15 … Connor Mang extended his hitting streak to seven games.