March 25, 2005
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – With both teams battling cold temperatures hovering around 40 degrees all night, UNLV outlasted the New Mexico baseball team, 12-6, Friday night at Isotopes Park. The series, now tied at one apiece, will conclude Saturday at noon at Isotopes Park.
The Lobos (12-13, 2-3 Mountain West) grabbed an early lead with six runs in the bottom of the third to go up 6-3. Chris Carlson and Matt Foote each delivered RBI singles in the inning, but the big hit came off the bat of Jeff Grady, who smashed a grand slam off the top of the scoreboard in left-center field.
UNLV (10-17, 4-1 MWC) crawled back into the game with two runs in the fifth and took the lead for good with five runs in the sixth. The Rebels tacked on single runs in the seventh and ninth innings for the 12-6 win.
After the third, the Lobo offense sputtered, not scoring a run and only collecting four hits. UNM had plenty of chances in the game, but left 10 runners on base and grounded into two double plays.
Garrick Haymore, Chris Dabbs and Foote all had two hits each for UNM.
Koji Popo pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up six runs on eight hits, to earn his second win of the year for the Rebels. Four Rebel relief pitchers combined for no runs allowed and just two hits.
Jason Fernandez (4-3) took the loss for UNM.