March 16, 2007
IRVINE, Calif. – The Lobo baseball team (10-13) was held to just six hits tonight, falling to 29th-ranked UC-Irvine, 9-2. The Anteaters scored in each of the first five innings while starter Scott Gorgen improved to 4-1, holding New Mexico scoreless until the fifth.
UC-Irvine led 6-0 before New Mexico finally got on the scoreboard. Freshman Scott Gracey, who came into the game at shortstop in the third, doubled down the left line in the fifth, putting two runners in scoring position with just one out. Freshman Derek Pilkington took the first pitch he saw and slapped it down to first, plating junior Matt Hibbitts from third.
In the seventh, Pilkington drove in another run with a double to left. Senior Daniel Stovall, who led off the inning with a single to right, scored from third.
Freshman Brian Hill relieved junior starter Bobby LaFromboise to start the seventh, needing just 10 pitches to sit down three straight Anteaters. One inning later, UC-Irvine posted three hits on Hill, including a triple, scoring the final two runs of the game. His line finished at 2.0 innings pitched, three hits, two runs and two strikeouts.
LaFromboise suffered his first loss of the season, falling to 3-1. He surrendered seven runs on nine hits and four walks with four strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Gorgen went 5.0 innings for four hits, one run, two walks and three strikeouts. The UC-Irvine bullpen threw 4.0 innings, allowing just two hits, one run, two walks and six strikeouts.
At the plate, six different Lobos produced a hit. Gracey was 1-for-2 with a walk while Pilkington was 1-for-2 with a walk and both of the team’s RBIs. Taylor Holiday and Aaron Lowenstein led the Anteaters, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run, respectively.
The series resumes tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Junior Stephen Smith (2-3, 7.64 ERA) is expected for start for New Mexico against UC-Irvine’s Wes Etheridge (6-0, 1.50 ERA).