SURPRISE, Ariz. – The University of New Mexico baseball team earned its first win of 2015 behind a strong performance from one of its new faces. Junior transfer Toller Boardman pitched seven solid innings and the Lobos scored five unanswered runs to defeat Northwestern 5-3 Saturday night in the Surprise Spring Training College Baseball Classic.
“At first I was a little nervous,” Boardman said. “It was my first D1 start in three years, but after that I settled down and felt good. They were sitting on first-pitch fastballs, but then (pitching) Coach Spencer started calling first-pitch curve balls, and then were taking them for strikes so I got ahead in the count.”
Boardman started one game for Texas in his two years there before transferring to San Jacinto College. He came to UNM this fall and has already shown what he’s capable of.
“Tonight he looked like he has all fall and spring,” UNM’s starting catcher, Cory Voss, said of his starter. “He came out and got the job done. His slider was really good. It was a ‘put-away’ pitch. Then late we started throwing first-pitch curveballs. He had their number all night.”
Northwestern scored single runs in the second and third to take a 2-0 lead, but the Lobos tied it in their half of the third. Voss singled in his first career at bat and moved to second on a bunt single by Aaron Siple. A sacrifice bunt by Danny Collier put both men in scoring position, and Sam Haggerty drove home Voss with a grounder to short.
Back-to-back walks to Dalton Bowers and Chris DeVito loaded the bases for Jared Holley. A pitch got away from the Wildcats’ catcher, which allowed Siple to score and tie the game. Later in the at bat another pitch eluded the catcher, but he recovered just in time to tag Bowers attempting to give UNM the lead.
The Lobos didn’t wait long taking their first lead. With one out in the fourth Andre Vigil singled to left. Carl Stajduhar then recorded his first career hit, a one-hop double off the wall in center. Vigil scampered all the way around the bases and dove into home just ahead of the relay throw. Stajduhar eventually scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Siple to make the count 4-2.
Boardman escaped a jam in the fifth thanks to a nice head’s up play by Bowers. With men on first and second and one down, Bowers caught a line drive and quickly threw to Haggerty who was covering second to double the runner off and end the frame.
“It was a big deal to not start the season 0-2,” Boardman said. “That was my mindset coming in. I have the best middle infield in the country behind me, so I felt confident out there.”
In the fifth Bowers made up for getting tagged out at home by stealing home with runners on first and third. On an attempted pickoff to first he broke and slid in just ahead of the throw to increase UNM’s advantage to 5-2.
In the sixth Boardman again wiggled out of trouble. With men on first and second he induced a double play and then struck out the next batter to keep the Wildcats off the board. He then pitched a perfect seventh to finish off his night.
Jake Cole pitched a perfect eighth, but things got interesting for closer Victor Sanchez in the ninth. An error and walk put two men on to start the inning. Sanchez struck out the next batter but back-to-back singles cut the lead to 5-3 and put the tying run at second base.
Sanchez then uncorked a pitched that got away from Scottie Graham behind the plate, but he gathered the ball and fired to Sanchez covering home just in time to nail the runner. Sanchez then got a bouncer to Holley at third to end it.
Every Lobo starter recorded a hit except for Bowers who walked three times.
The Lobos face the Oregon State Beavers in their next two games. First will be Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. Junior Drew Bridges will start on the mound for UNM.
Notes: Haggerty made his 109th straight start … Bowers was the first Lobo to steal home since Haggerty did it May 10 last year.