SURPRISE, Ariz. – The University of New Mexico baseball team completed a strong opening weekend by taking its second straight from Oregon State by the score of 5-2 Monday afternoon. Four Lobos (3-1) recorded multi-hit games, led by Carl Stajduhar’s 3-for-4 performance, and three Lobo relievers shut out the Beavers (2-2) over the final six innings.
Freshman Tyler Stevens, who didn’t expect to pitch in the game after dealing with a stomach bug most of Sunday night, earned his first career win by tossing 1.1 scoreless innings. Alex Estrella earned his second career save by pitching the final three innings, striking out three.
Carson Schneider made his first career start for UNM after setting a Lobo freshman record with 24 appearances out of the bullpen last season. He allowed two runs in 3.2 innings. Stevens, Estrella and Mike Gould allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out four over the final 5.1 frames.
The two stars of Sunday’s win got UNM started in this one as well. Stajduhar led off the second with a sharp single up the middle, and Luis Gonzalez hammered a double to right to put two men on. Jared Holley then looped a single into left to score Stajduhar and give the Lobos a 1-0 lead.
With men on the corners Danny Collier grounded one to third, but Gonzalez, who was running on contact, was easily thrown out at home. Cory Voss kept the inning going, though, with a bouncer over the third baseman’s head to score Holley. Collier eventually came around to score on a throwing error to give UNM an early 3-0 lead.
Oregon State, though, struck for two in the third to inch back into it, but the Lobos added two more in the fifth to chase the Beavers’ starter. Sam Haggerty led off with a walk and moved to second on Chris DeVito’s single. After a pitching change Stajduhar singled to right-center to drive home Haggerty and put men on the corners. DeVito then scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Gonzalez to make the count 5-2 UNM’s favor.
The Lobos had multiple opportunities to increase their lead but left the bases loaded in both the sixth and seventh innings. UNM benefited from an OSU miscue in the bottom of the seventh to keep its three-run lead. With a man on first Estrella uncorked a wild pitch that Voss couldn’t find. The runner tried to make it all the way to third, but Voss recovered and threw him out. Instead of a man in scoring position with just one out, the bases were empty and Estrella struck out the batter to end the inning.
OSU then had a missed opportunity in the bottom of the eighth. Haggerty made an error on a routine grounder, and that was followed by a double to put two men in scoring position with just one out for the Beaver’s No. 3 hitter, KJ Harrison. Haggerty atoned for his error, though, but catching a line drive and stepping on second to double off the runner and end the inning.
Outside of Friday night, when the bullpen allowed six runs over the final two innings, the Lobo pitching staff performed admirably. Lobo pitchers allowed just 12 runs in the other 34 innings to help UNM win three of its four games in Surprise.
The Lobos open Mountain West play this weekend when they travel to Air Force for three games beginning Friday at 2 p.m.
Notes: Haggerty made his 111th straight start, the seventh longest streak in UNM history … the Lobos have won 34 straight games when leading after six (dating back to June 1, 2013) and 60 straight when leading after eight (dating back to March 24, 2013) … Estrella’s previous save came on April 6, 2013, at Air Force.