ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico baseball team dropped an 8-3 decision to the Air Force Falcons on a windy afternoon at Lobo Field Saturday.
The Lobos (4-2, 1-1) opened the scoring on a three-run homer by Chris DeVito in the third inning, but the Falcons (1-5, 1-1) proceeded to score the final eight runs of the game.
The teams are playing in Albuquerque due to adverse playing conditions in Colorado Springs.
UNM had a golden opportunity to break the game open while leading 3-2 in the top of the fifth. Cory Voss singled, Aaron Siple walked, and Danny Collier’s attempted sacrifice bunt rolled up the third-base line and stayed fair for a single to load the bases with no outs.
Sam Haggerty had a check swing that resulted in a force at home, though, and the next two batters struck out to snuff the threat. The Lobos never truly threatened after that as Air Force reliever Jacob DeVries stymied UNM’s offense.
“We couldn’t break it open, and then he came in and shut us down,” UNM head coach Ray Birmingham said. “He was sitting 88-93 with good downward plane on his ball. He pitched as well as any big-time prospect today.”
Colton Thomson suffered the loss for the Lobos after allowing six runs on six hits in 6.0 innings. Voss finished 2-for-4 with a run as he accounted for half of UNM’s hit total.
The teams will meet in the rubber match Sunday at noon at Lobo Field. The game will be streamed live on GoLobos.com and broadcast by ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM.
Notes: Haggerty made his 113th straight start, the seventh longest streak in UNM history … Hayden Schilling made his debut for UNM and recorded two outs in the eighth … Reece Weber pinch hit in the ninth and struck out in his first collegiate at bat.