ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Jared Holley was hit with an 0-2 pitch with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning in a tie game to spark a six-run rally as the University of New Mexico defeated Stephen F. Austin 8-2 Wednesday afternoon at Lobo Field
“(Their pitcher) was having some control issues, so I thought if I crowded the plate I could make something happen,” he said.
You wouldn’t think someone that stands just 5-foot-8 would be such an enticing target, but apparently Holley is just that. It was the 26th time in his career that he was hit by a pitch, tied for fifth most in UNM history.
Immediately after Holley was hit, Dalton Bowers blooped a bases-clearing double, and Jack Zoellner followed two batters later with a two-run triple to effectively close out the game.
Preston Ryan (1-0) recorded the final four outs to earn his first career victory. He and four other pitchers combined to limit SFA to just four hits, all of which were singles. Starter Mike Gould allowed two runs, one earned, in 2.2 innings. James Harrington made his first career appearance and allowed two harmless singles to go with a pair of strikeouts. Taylor Duree and Alex Estrella each pitched 1.2 scoreless frames.
New Mexico’s (10-4) only hit through the first six innings was Carl Stajduhar’s double in the second. He came around to score on groundouts by Luis Gonzalez and Scottie Graham to give UNM an early 1-0 lead.
However, the Lumberjacks (5-13) answered with two in the next half-inning to take a 2-1 lead they would hold until the seventh.
With one down Holley finally recorded UNM’s second hit, a bloop double down the right-field line. He scored to tie the game on Bowers’ single to left. Bowers finished with a career high four RBIs.
Aaron Siple reached base four times via three walks and an error and scored a run. Stajduhar finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
New Mexico travels to Reno, Nev., this weekend for another major conference showdown. This one is with Mountain West-leading Nevada, which is a game ahead of the Lobos in the conference standings. The first game of the series will be Friday at 5 p.m. MT.
Notes: Zoellner’s triple was the second of his career … UNM drew seven walks and struck out just twice.