Nov. 6, 2006
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The gray team rallied from a 2-1 series deficit, winning two straight for the World Series title. They won game four, 6-5, on Saturday and game five, 5-4, on Sunday.
Seniors Matt Foote and Daniel Stovall started the black team of with two runs in the first of game four. Foote singled to lead off the game and then stole two bases before scoring on a single by Stovall. After moving to second on a walk, Stovall scored on a single by freshman Mark Rockey.
Freshman Bret Fanning doubled to lead off the third and scored two at bats later on a double from junior Ian Hollick. Hollick, junior Drew McDonald and sophomore Dane Hamilton all crossed the plate thanks to a well-hit double from freshman Scott Gracey. Sophomore Max Willett singled home Gracey and then scored on a single from freshman Delano Ponce, capping the six-run inning.
The black team got two back in the fourth thanks to a home run from freshman Adam Courcha and a single from sophomore Derek Pilkington. Courcha homered again in the eighth, pulling the team within one. But freshman Jarrad Watkins held on for the save, getting three fly-outs.
Robert LaFromboise earned the win, allowing eight hits, four runs (three earned), two walks and four strikeouts in 5 innings. Watkins allowed just one hit and one run in 2.2 innings. Gracey and Ponce were 3-for-4 at the plate.
Fanning got the gray team on the board in the top of the first of game five with the only hit of the inning. Pilkington evened the score in the second with a RBI double.
Junior Jordan Pacheco’s two-run homer in the third put the black team up 3-1 and then extended the lead to 4-1 in the eighth with a RBI-double, bringing home senior Jay Russell.
With two outs in the top of the ninth, Ponce drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Fanning reached on an error that allowed Gracey to score. Ponce scored on a wild pitch, cutting the deficit to one. Sophomore Chad Itokazu single, bringing home Fanning to tie the game. Hollick drew a walk, moving Itokazu to second. Itokazu then scored the go-ahead run on a single from Hamilton.
The black team earned three walks in the bottom of the ninth but couldn’t get a runner home as junior pitcher Joe Balbus, Rockey and Stovall turned a game-ending double play.
Balbus, who pitched two innings of relief for junior Jacob Norton, earned the win, giving up just one hit, one run and three walks. Norton went 7 innings for five hits, three runs, one walk and three strikeouts. Itokazu was 2-for-3 with a run and RBI.
The Lobos are finished with their fall season and await their spring opener at Texas Tech on Tuesday, Feb. 6. Their home opener is Friday, Feb. 23 at 3 p.m. vs. Texas State.