May 25, 2005
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The New Mexico baseball team came up on the short end of a pitcher’s duel as Utah defeated the Lobos, 2-0, in first-round action at the Mountain West Tournament Wednesday afternoon at Franklin Covey Field. Junior right-hander Josh Cooper held the Lobos to three hits and struck out three in a complete-game effort, improving his record to 4-1 on the season. Karsten Gaarder (3-8) fanned six and only scattered six hits and two runs, as he also threw a complete game, but it wasn’t enough for New Mexico. The Lobos (25-31) will now play Air Force in the consolation bracket Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Cooper, who struck out eight batters in a win over New Mexico April 29, was equally as dominant on Wednesday. Lobo batters had trouble with Cooper’s effective slider, as he got 16 of his of 27 outs on groundouts.
The Utes (19-34) scored the game’s first run in the top of the fourth. Jay Brossman led off with a double, breaking up Gaarder’s no-hitter, and advanced to third on a one-out groundout. Jay Mozelski then hit a slow roller to first baseman Daniel Stovall, and just beat the throw at first, extending the inning and plating Brossman.
Garrick Haymore collected UNM’s first hit of the game with a single in the fourth. He was stranded at second after two flyouts.
UNM threatened to score its first run in the fifth. Chris Dabbs was hit to lead off the inning, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jeff Grady and went to third on a groundout. Jordan Pacheco, UNM’s leading hitter, grounded out to the shortstop on a hard-hit ball to end the inning.
The Utes got a much-needed insurance run as Clayne Garrett hit a solo homer to right with two outs in the top of the sixth.
The Lobos threatened again in the sixth as Chris Carlson nailed a one-out double off the wall in right field. The next batter, Daniel Stovall, roped a line shot up the middle, but Utah had him played perfectly as second baseman Doug Beck made the stop and the out at first, preventing Carlson to score. With Carlson on third and two outs, Ryan Barba laced a liner to right field to end the rally.
Carlson led off the ninth inning with a single up the middle, but the threat was quickly halted as Stovall hit into a 5-4-3 double play.
The Lobos, who will now play Air Force, lead the season series over the Falcons, 5-1.
GAME NOTES:
– At two hours even, the game was the shortest in Mountain West Tournament history
– This marks the first game in Mountain West Tournament history where both pitchers hurled complete games
– Utah’s 2-0 shutout is only the fifth shutout in Mountain West Tournament history.