ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico baseball team battled and showed a lot of heart, but still dropped its series finale to the Nevada Wolf Pack 14-9 in 10 innings Sunday.
Injuries and tactical substitutions forced the Lobos to basically empty their bench and bullpen, and even forced Scottie Graham, one of UNM’s two freshmen catchers, to play second base in the 10th inning. Three different Lobos played second and two played shorstop.
“I even tried to ask the umpire if he could pinch run,” UNM head coach Ray Birmingham joked. “There were some creative lineup adjustments today. Injuries held me hostage to what I could do.”
The Wolf Pack (38-11, 21-6) simply had too much offense for UNM (24-22, 13-11) to contain forever. Nevada scored six in the 10th to break an 8-8 tie and claim the outright Mountain West title. It snaps UNM’s streak of at least a share of the MW regular-season championship in three straight seasons.
“We got beat by the better team,” Birmingham said. “The thing that I worried about was getting a group of kids that didn’t know the struggles this program has been through to win what it has won. … Some complacency and entitlement creeped in, but I’m going to get that cleaned up.”
The Lobos jumped out 4-0 after two thanks to a pair of RBI doubles from Luis Gonzalez, who started on the mound for UNM, and a two-RBI double from Danny Collier.
However, Nevada scored the next six to lead 6-4 going to the bottom of the fifth. But the Lobos used a two-out rally to re-take the lead.
Jack Zoellner was on second after reaching on an error when Hayden Schilling singled up the middle to knock him home, and he advanced to second on the throw. Aaron Siple followed with an RBI-single to score Schilling, and Collier followed with his second RBI-double of the game to give UNM a 7-6 lead.
Again Nevada responded to take the lead with single runs in the sixth and seventh, but the Lobos responded in kind in the home half of the seventh with another two-out rally.
Reece Weber was on first after an infield single, and he advanced to third on a single to right by Siple. Collier walked to load the bases for pinch hitter Jared Holley, who was out of the lineup due to a quad injury. The junior co-captain worked a full-count walk, though, to force in the tying run and make the score 8-8.
That’s where it remained until the 10th, but it could have been over sooner if not for a couple of spectacular plays by Jack Zoellner at first base in the top of the eighth. Nevada had runners on second and first with one out when All-American Austin Byler hit a hard grounder down the first-base line. Zoellner lunged to his left and snagged it before getting to his feet and hustling over to beat Byler to the bag for the second out.
The very next batter was Trenton Brooks, a Freshman All-American in 2014. He hit a screaming liner on the first pitch he saw that seemed destined for the corner and a two-run double. Zoellner, though, again laid out and caught the ball with a diving effort to end the game and keep the Lobos tied.
Gonzalez, who allowed four runs in 3.1 innings, finished with a career-high four hits at the plate, including his third home run of the season in the 10th inning. He finished with nine total bases and three RBIs while playing three different positions: pitcher, designated hitter and right field.
“In high school I did this all the time,” he said about playing multiple positions. “To be able to do it in college is a dream come true. It’s awesome.”
Schilling and Siple combined to go 5-for-8 with four runs, two RBIs, a walk and a HBP out of the bottom two spots in the Lobo order. Collier was the only other Lobo to record multiple hits, and he matched a career high with three RBIs while playing on virtually one leg due to a knee injury.
Jake Cole (1-3) suffered the loss despite pitching very well over 3.1 innings. He was charged with two runs on just two hits and two walks.
The Lobos travel to Las Cruces, N.M., for their second and final game this season against Rio Grande Rival New Mexico State on Tuesday, which will be carried by ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM. UNM then returns home next weekend for its final home series of the season against San Jose State. The Lobos will look to get back on track before heading into the conference tournament, which starts on May 20 in Reno, Nev.
“We’re going to fight and get that tournament championship,” Birmingham said before adding a qualifier: “If we can stay healthy.”
Notes: Schilling made his first start at shortstop due to the injuries to Holley and Dalton Bowers, and he recorded six assists, including a diving stop and throw from deep in the hole in the second inning … it was the sixth straight loss for UNM.