Complete box: UNM 18, Hawai’i 0 complete box
HONOLULU – It’s hard to say what was more impressive about the University of New Mexico’s 18-0 thrashing of the University of Hawai’i Sunday afternoon: the Lobos’ hitting and patience at the plate or the work done by starter Colton Thomson. Whichever way you look at it, though, it still adds up to the worst home loss in school history for the Rainbow Warriors.
If you ask head coach Ray Birmingham, however, he was most pleased about the effort of Thomson and freshman reliever Austin Isenhart.
“I was most pleased with the four-hit shutout,” he said. “We pitched our butts off today, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Making his first appearance since March 14 last season, Thomson limited UH to just two hits and one walk in six excellent innings. He retired the first 10 he faced and, after a slight hiccup in the fourth, retired the last eight he faced. He struck out five.
“It felt good to get back out there,” the senior southpaw said. “I was hungry. It had been a while. I threw about 90 percent fastballs with a slider in there every now and then and got groundballs. That was it.”
The Lobo offense, meanwhile, seemed to do everything right a night after it struggled with men on base. UNM smacked 18 hits and drew a staggering 17 walks.
The UNM scoring barrage began in the second inning and did not stop until the ninth. The Lobos scored two in the second, three in the third and fourth, four in the fifth, three in the sixth, one in the seventh and two in the eighth. Every Lobos starter reached base safely at least three times. Dalton Bowers set a career high with five hits and tied a career mark with four RBIs. Sophomore catcher Scottie Graham added a career-best five RBIs to lead the way. Reece Weber scored four runs, and both he and Jack Zoellner drew three walks apiece.
The Lobos showed their power in the fifth by hammering two home runs. A solo shot by Carl Stajduhar to left, and a mammoth two-run blast by freshman Jared Mang to left-center two batters later.
UNM will look to take the series Monday evening at 8:35 p.m. MT. Sophomore right-hander James Harrington will start on the mound for the Lobos.
Notes: Hawai’i’s previous worst loss at home was 23-6 on March 10, 1975 to Oklahoma … freshman Andrew Pratt made his collegiate debut as a defensive replacement behind the plate … first time UNM had 15 or more walks since 3/9/13 vs. UC Riverside … seven of UNM’s nine starters drew at least one free pass.