SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The University of New Mexico baseball team lost its rubber match in its series with San Diego State 4-3 Saturday afternoon. Trailing 4-1 in the ninth the Lobos scored a pair and had two one with just one out, but they couldn’t push the tying run across in their 10th one-run game of the season.
The game was scoreless through five, but UNM (16-13, 8-7) pushed the first run of the game across in the sixth. Cory Voss doubled with one out, and he scored on Luis Gonzalez’ two-our RBI-single. But the Aztecs (24-8, 12-3) scored a pair in the bottom of the frame to take a lead they would not relinquish.
They added insurance runs in the seventh and eighth before UNM’s comeback came up just short in the ninth. Jack Zoellner got the rally started with a double to center. He moved to third on a pinch-hit single by Aaron Siple. A walk by Danny Collier loaded the bases with nobody out. Lane Milligan drove in Zoellner with a fielder’s choice, and Chris DeVito knocked Siple home with a single, but pinch hitter Ryan Padilla struck out and Carl Stajduhar hit into a fielder’s choice to end the game.
The loss dropped UNM four games back of the Aztecs in MW play halfway through the conference season.
Voss led the Lobos with a 3-for-4 performance, and Collier went 2-for-3 for his third straight multi-hit game as UNM out-hit the Aztecs 9-7. Collier now has an 11-game hitting streak and, outside of an 0-for-1 performance when he turned his ankle against Stephen F. Austin on March 10, he has hits in 17 straight. He has raised his average from .150 all the way up to .337.
Lobo starter Tyler Stevens (1-3) allowed two runs in 5.2 innings to suffer the loss. He struck out three and walked two.
UNM remains on the road for midweek action next week. They travel to Lawrence, Kan., to take on the Kansas Jayhawks Tuesday and Wednesday.
Notes: UNM is 4-6 in one-run games this season … DeVito drew three of UNM’s five walks.