Feb. 20, 2007
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Lobo baseball team earned its fourth straight win over New Mexico State this afternoon, scoring 16 runs on the erratic Aggies’ pitching. New Mexico drew nine walks while its batters were plunked three times, leading to the 16-5 victory.
New Mexico State scored first, putting one on the board in the bottom of the first. New Mexico erased the deficit quickly, grabbing the lead with two runs in the top of the second on doubles from junior catcher Drew McDonald and freshman left fielder Bret Fanning.
The Aggies had trouble finding the plate in the third, giving New Mexico six runs for an 8-1 lead. Kellen Monreal came in to pitch in the top of the inning and hit a batter, walked two and gave up a RBI-double to senior first baseman Daniel Stovall. Monreal’s reliever, Casey Amundson, didn’t fare much better, giving up a walk, RBI-double to freshman center fielder Derek Pilkington and a RBI-single to Fanning.
The Lobos added another run in the fifth and four in the seventh for a 16-2 lead. The Aggies posted a run in the eighth and two in the ninth but couldn’t overcome such a large deficit.
Freshman Shane Dyer (1-1) picked up his first collegiate win, allowing four hits, two earned runs, three walks and two strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Freshman Jarrad Watkins hurled 2.0 innings, giving up just one hit and one walk while fanning two.
At the plate, Stovall led the team in hits, going 3-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored. McDonald, Fanning and sophomore right fielder Dane Hamilton all recorded three RBI to lead the Lobos. Itokazu and Russell, hitting first and second in the line-up, both scored a team-high three runs.
The Lobos (4-6) finally begin play at Isotopes Park this weekend, hosting Texas State for a three-game series. Friday and Saturday’s contests are slated to start at 3 p.m. while Sunday’s game should commence at noon.