Reversal of Fortune: Lobos Lose 7-3 to SDSU
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Nathaniel Garley was getting a sip of water. Justin Watari was in the on-deck circle with Hayden Schilling. Daniel Herrera was talking with UNM’s pitching coach about the latest pitching sequence as the top of the first inning was over and UNM was getting ready to bat.
A funny thing happened on the way to the bottom of the first however. After an argument by SDSU head coach Mark Martinez, UNM was called back out of the dugout and a fly ball out was ruled to be dropped, changing the fortunes of both teams as San Diego State used the reversal to score three unearned runs, paving the way for a 7-3 win over New Mexico as UNM was officially eliminated from the conference tournament chase.
The play in question came with Chase Calibuig on third and two outs with the dangerous Jordan Virdon at the plate. Virdon, who homered in each of the first two games, ran the count to 3-2 against Lobo starter Nathaniel Garley, and Garley got him to sky to left. Derek Marshall looked to have briefly lost the ball in the sun, and then he seemingly caught the ball, losing it quickly. Third base umpire Anthony Prater emphatically ruled that he lost the ball transferring it.
The Lobos went to the dugout without a run allowed, and SDSU head coach argued with Prater, who then went to the other umpires. After a long discussion, Prater and Jeff Cluff came to UNM’s dugout and changed the call. That brought out Ray Birmingham, who eventually was ejected.
With a run in, Garley went back to the mound but he allowed a single and a two-run double to make it 3-0. SDSU would never relinquish that lead.
UNM got back in it in the third inning, scoring two runs. A wild pitch from Jorge Fernandez scored one, and Connor Mang’s single brought in a second. The Aztecs went up 4-2 on a fifth inning sacrifice fly, and UNM once again brought it back to a run at 4-3. Danny Collier reached on a fielder’s choice and went to second on a wild pitch, scoring on a Daniel Herrera single off the wall. However, Herrera couldn’t get to second, and that proved big when Phillip Sikes singled immediately afterwards, with Herrera getting the third, but that’s as far as he got.
Here are the highlights from our 7-3 loss to San Diego State in the series finale on Sunday afternoon #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/mR2oDk1BMx
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) May 6, 2018
Garley was terrific, allowing just eight hits over six innings, and just the one earned run. Malachi Emond, pitched the seventh and eighth and into the ninth, keeping UNM in the game. UNM got a runner to third with two outs off closer Casey Schmitt, but he was stranded. San Diego State then blew it open in the ninth with three runs, all coming with two out.
The Lobos and the Aztecs split the season series 3-3, and the Lobos dropped to 16-30-1 overall and 9-18 in the Mountain West, while San Diego State improved to 33-15 overall and 15-8 in conference. The Lobos are down to their final seven games, and the final mid-week game is at Santa Ana Star Field on Tuesday as the Lobos host New Mexico State at 6:30 p.m.
NOTES: UNM used its 45th different lineup in 47 games … Garley’s ERA in his three Mountain West’s lowered to 2.95 … Marshall’s error was just the seventh outfield error of the season for UNM … Daniel Herrera has now thrown out seven of 16 runners attempting to steal … Drew Gillespie made his 22nd appearance of the season on the mound, leading the team.