ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Playing its final home game of the season, the University of New Mexico baseball team earned perhaps its best win of the season, defeating No. 12 Arizona State 9-6 Tuesday evening. Sam Haggerty continued his torrid play with his second four-hit game in the last three games.
“You miss seven weeks (like I did) and everything is a little off,” the junior second baseman said. “But with enough (batting practice) and enough reps it comes back soon enough.”
The Lobos (28-23) also got terrific work by starter Victor Sanchez (1-2). The junior righty, who was on a pitch limit, went 4.0 innings and allowed just an unearned run in the first. He allowed just two singles and struck out two without walking a batter. He threw 30 of his 44 pitches for strikes and was very good in earning his first win of the season. He retired the final eight batters he faced.
“Victor Sanchez did a heck of a job,” UNM head coach Ray Birmingham said. “He got his dominance back, and he looked really, really good.”
After falling behind 1-0 in the first, UNM fought back for three of its own in the home half. Sam Haggerty led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a bunt single by Carl Stajduhar. A walk to Luis Gonzalez loaded the bases, and Haggerty tied the game by scoring on a wild pitch. Jack Zoellner then came through with a two-RBI single up the middle on a full count to give the Lobos a 3-1 lead they would not relinquish.
UNM tacked on single runs in the fourth, fifth, and seventh innings and two in the eighth as every starter reached base safely. Aaron Siple had two hits and two RBIs, Lane Milligan also had two hits and scored three runs, and Zoellner finished 2-for-5. Siple now leads the team with a .371 average.
Carson Schneider was great in relief of Sanchez. He allowed just one base runner in 2.1 innings and, like Sanchez, was very effective and efficient. He needed just 28 pitches and threw 20 of them for strikes.
The Sun Devils (30-18) rallied in the ninth but could only manage three runs as Jake Cole shut the door to finish off UNM’s fourth straight win.
“We’re just trying to play baseball as a team, all at once,” Birmingham said. “I thought Jake did a good job getting his composure back in the ninth. He stepped off the mound and cleared it up.”
The Lobos will play at Fresno State this weekend to close out the regular season. The winner of the series will be the No. 3 seed in the Mountain West Tournament, and the loser will drop to fourth in the conference
““It’s good to beat this team, ASU,” Haggerty said. “They’re ranked in the top 25. We swept last weekend too, so we just need to get rolling into the tournament and anything can happen there.”
ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM will broadcast all three games and every Lobo game for the rest of the season.
Notes: The game was delayed 45 minutes in the bottom of the fourth due to lightning in the area … the game was delayed another 16 minutes in the bottom of the fifth when Arizona State pitched Eder Erives was hit in the face with a line drive … it was UNM’s 81st straight win when leading after eight innings … the Lobos have raised their team batting average 15 points to .311 over their last four games … Taylor Duree made his 62nd appearance on the mound to move into a tie for eighth place on UNM’s all-time list … UNM finished its home schedule with a 20-10 record.