Complete box: UNM 7, Hawai’i 1
HONOLULU – The University of New Mexico baseball team came into its season-opening series against Hawai’i with little success in its history on Oahu, but the Lobos exercised many of those demons this weekend.
UNM (3-1) won its first series at Hawai’i since 1985 by way of a 7-1 victory over the Rainbow Warriors (2-4) Monday night. Starting pitcher James Harrington tossed a career-best 7.0 innings in just the sixth start of his career. He allowed just one run on four hits and one walk while striking out three. He retired 15 of 16 at one point while keeping the Rainbow Warriors off balance all night.
“Our starting pitching was off the charts all four games,” UNM head coach Ray Birmingham said. “It was big time. All four starters did their job, and James was fantastic tonight.”
Harrington’s previous high for innings was 4.1 at San Diego State on April 2 last year. He had not started a game since allowing seven runs at New Mexico State last May 5.
“I was a little shaky to start,” he said, “but I trusted my stuff and pounded the zone. I was able to have a lot of success with my changeup tonight, and the offense put up plenty of runs to support me.”
The Lobos came in having won just six of 40 contests at Hawai’i, but they return home with three wins in their pocket after an excellent weekend.
“We saw a lot of improvement out of a lot of people,” said Birmingham. “This is not an easy place to play. We wanted to come here because so many alumni told us about their bad experiences playing here. So we wanted to come here and beat them for the alumni, and we got it done.”
One of the main reasons for that has been Jack Zoellner. UNM’s junior first baseman continued his torrid start to the season, reaching base three times with a single and a towering three-run homer. Jared Mang also homered for UNM, which tallied six extra-base hits.
The hitting barrage started in the second. Chris DeVito doubled to right-center and scored on Jared Holley’s triple to the same spot. Dalton Bowers then lashed a ground-rule double to left-center to give UNM a 2-0 lead in the second.
The biggest flies, though, came in the fifth when Mang and Zoeller both launched their home runs. Mang’s came on a full-count pitch that he lined over the fence in left-center. Michael Eaton followed with a double to left, and Carl Stajduhar walked ahead of Zoellner’s homer to right.
UNM’s final run came in the seventh. Zoellner reached on an error, stole second, and scored on Reece Weber’s bouncer through the right side. For the series, Zoellner reached base via hit, walk or error in 16 of 23 plate appearances.
UH loaded the bases in both the eighth and ninth innings, but Luis Gonzalez got two strikeouts to end the threat in the eighth, and Fernando Fernandez got a lineout and a 4-6-3 double play to end the game in the ninth.
The Lobos will play their home opener at Santa Ana Star Field this Friday night against Wichita State at 6 in the first of a three-game set. All three matchups will be broadcast by ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM.
“Two of the top teams in the country come to our place the next two weekends,” Birmingham said. “It’s only going to get tougher from here, but I think we’re a top 25-caliber team, so we’ll see what we’re about starting Friday.”
Notes: UNM recorded double-digit hits in all four games this weekend … Jared Holley was hit by a pitch for the 31st time in his career, moving him seven away from UNM’s all-time leader … UNM drew five walks to bring their NCAA-leading total to 38 on the year … it was Gonzalez’s first appearance on the mound this year … UNM now has 83 straight wins when leading after eight innings.