March 20, 2007
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Lobos clinched the season series against New Mexico State, 3-1, tonight at Isotopes Park with a 13-6 victory, snapping their four-game losing streak. New Mexico improved to 11-15 overall as freshman Jarrad Watkins picked up the win in his first collegiate start.
Senior Daniel Stovall doubled off the berm in center field, driving in seniors Matt Foote and Jay Russell for a 2-0 lead. One inning later, freshman Scott Gracey doubled down the right field line and scored on a single by Foote, extending the lead to 3-0.
The Aggies got a run back in the third, scoring a run on two walks and a hit. In the fourth, Marcos Rosales tripled with a runner on first and then scored the tying run on a Leo Aguirre sacrifice fly.
The Lobos broke the game wide open in the sixth, scoring seven runs. Foote and Russell drew full-count walks, knocking NMSU’s John Doyle out of the game. His replacement, Matt Melendez, made his first appearance of the season and gave the Lobos five runs on three hits and three hit batters.
UNM kept hitting in the seventh, plating three more runs on four singles and two walks. Trailing 13-4, NMSU tried to rally, putting two runs on the board but that was all the Aggies could manage.
Stovall and junior Matt Hibbitts led the Lobos in hits, each posting three. Foote, who finished 2-for-4, drove in a team-high four runs and was one of five to score two runs. Marcus Quade led the Aggies, going 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored.
Watkins improved to 2-1, allowing five hits, four runs (three earned), four walks and two strikeouts in 6.0 innings. John Doyle suffered the loss for the Aggies, giving up two runs on two walks. Freshman Brian Hill threw a hitless inning of relief for UNM while sophomore Bobby Moore made his first appearance with one out in the ninth and closed out the game without allowing a hit.
The Lobos are back in action this weekend, starting Mountain West Conference action at home with Utah. The two teams play Friday and Saturday night at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.