March 18, 2005
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – It was a tale of two games for the New Mexico baseball team as the Lobos split a doubleheader against BYU Friday at Isotopes Park in the first games of the Mountain West Conference season. UNM rallied for four runs in the bottom of the ninth to take game one, 6-5, but fell in the nightcap, 19-6. The Lobos now stand at 11-10 (1-1 MWC) for the season, while the Cougars are 12-5-1 (1-1 MWC). The two teams will meet in the series finale Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
Down 5-2 in the bottom of the ninth in game one, the Lobos put on their rally caps in scoring four runs for the dramatic victory. A strikeout began the inning, but the Lobos stormed back as Ryan Barba hit a single to left and Jordan Pacheco nailed a double to left-center to put runners on second and third. Garrick Haymore then delivered a two-run double to right-center to make it 5-4. Haymore advanced to third on a Chris Carlson flyout to center, the second out of the inning. Up to the plate stepped Daniel Stovall, and he produced a clutch single up the middle to tie the game at 5.
The Lobos caught a break on the next batter as pinch-hitter Chris Dabbs struck out swinging, but advanced to first on a passed ball. Ian Hollick then walked to load the bases for Matt Foote, who sent a single over incoming right-fielder Sean McNaughton for the game-winning hit.
UNM scored the game’s first run in the second inning, but BYU hit two homers in the third to go up 3-1. Pacheco mashed a solo shot to left in the fifth to cut the lead to 3-2, but the Cougars answered with two more solo shots in the seventh to go up 5-2.
Pacheco went 3-for-5 with two runs in the first game, while Haymore went 4-for-5 with two RBI.
Jackie Smith (1-0) picked up the win after pitching a scoreless ninth.
The Lobos looked primed for the sweep in game two as they scored three in the seventh to take a 5-4 lead. Pacheco had an RBI single in the inning and Haymore hit his first homer of the season, a deep two-run shot to right-center.
BYU bounced back in convincing fashion, however, scoring 15 runs in the eighth and ninth innings. The Cougars scored 12 in the ninth on nine hits, including seven doubles, just one shy of tying an NCAA record for most doubles in an inning.
The Lobos could only muster one run in the ninth to make the final 19-6.
Pacheco and Stovall each had three hits in the second game for UNM. Pacheco went 6-for-10 with five runs on the day, while Haymore went 6-for-10 with four RBI.