Late Burst Pushes UNLV Past UNM 8-3
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — UNLV used a four-run ninth inning to open up some breathing room, spoiling a solid start by Nathaniel Garley in his first Mountain West start, and a pair of terrific hitting performances by Connor Mang and Brayden Merritt as the Rebels took the final game of a three-game series, 8-3.
The Lobos took two of three from UNLV and now sit 2.5 games out of the final conference tournament spot, behind Air Force. The Lobos still have a trip to Air Force on the docket in three weeks.
UNM got a solid start on the hill from Nathaniel Garley, who earned his first Mountain West start of the season. Garley threw 6.0 innings, allowing eight hits and four runs, all earned. He struck out three and helped himself with a defensive gem in the fourth inning, when he speared a ball with the bases loaded that was ticketed for center field. The ball hit the ground, and he fired it home for an out, and then onto first for a 1-2-3 double play.
Garley gave way to Robert Gasser, who got UNM into the ninth down 4-1. UNM ended up using four pitchers in the ninth, but UNLV scored four. Gasser got the opening out, but then he allowed a single to center a double into the right field corner to put runners on second and third. That brought in Drew Gillespie, and he allowed a two-run single. A hit batter and another single loaded the bases, and Gillespie gave way to Brian Coffey. Coffey allowed a two-run single but then got a big strikeout. Malachi Emond then entered and got a pop up to end the frame, but the damage was done.
Here are the highlights from today’s 8-3 loss to UNLV as the Lobos take 2 of 3 in the series #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/GhUXpi5MAC
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) April 22, 2018
UNM, down 4-0 in the eighth, got one back on a long home run to left center off the scoreboard from Connor Mang, his second of the homestand, and his third hit of the day. In the ninth, Danny Collier pinch hit, his first appearance in five games, and he walked. After a strikeout, center fielder Brayden Merritt completed his career day with a home run well over the wall in right field, making it 8-3. Merritt earlier in the game picked up UNM’s first hit with a single in the third. He then bunted past the pitcher for a hit in the fifth, and his short-hop bullet in the seventh past the second baseman was his third hit of the game.
Connor Mang and Merritt combined for seven of UNM’s eight hits on the day, with Phillip Sikes getting the only other hit, a solid single in the seventh that started UNM’s best chance of the game at that time. After that single, Merritt singled and Hayden Schilling walked to load the bases, but Justin Watari grounded out to end the threat.
The Lobos have Monday off before headed to Phoenix for a two-game weekday series with Grand Canyon. The games on Tuesday at 8 p.m. and Wednesday at 2 p.m. (Mountain Time) will be available via stream on GCUtv. The Lobos then head to San José State for a key three-game road series with games Friday at 7 p.m. (MT), Saturday at 4 pm (MT) and Sunday and 1 pm (MT). Along with the Mountain West Network stream, fans can listen in to Robert Portnoy on the web and over the air at ESPN Radio 101.7 The Team.
NOTES: Merritt had his seventh multi-hit game of the season and his first four-hit game … Schilling went 0-for-3 with two walks to extend his on-base streak to 19 games … Connor Mang now leads the team in hitting at .333 … Merritt raised his average to .293 … Malachi Emond made his team-leading 18th appearance out of the pen.