ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico baseball team (19-8, 9-2 MW) maintained first place in the Mountain West Conference and sealed a series win Saturday, defeating the UNLV Rebels (9-17, 3-8 MW), 10-5.
The Lobos were led by a combined seven RBI from Chris DeVito and Jack Zoellner. DeVito went 3-for-5 with four RBI, two runs and a home run in the first. Zoellner went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs and a homer. Jared Holley also had a productive day, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
“Chris DeVito is on a great roll, him and Jack are doing really well,” noted head coach Ray Birmingham on the eve of his New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame induction. “Holley has been clutchy, and Bowers had a clutch hit as well. Jared Holley has been off the charts the last few days.”
Tyler Stevens (4-2) earned the win over six innings of work. He allowed just one earned run and struck out four batters. Alex Estrella earned his second save of the season, pitching the final three innings and allowing just one run and four hits.
The Lobos grabbed their first lead in the bottom of the first with instant offense from DeVito. The catcher blasted a two-out home run over left field, good for his team-best eighth of the season.
The 1-0 lead lasted until the third inning, when a pair of unearned runs put the Lobos behind briefly. The home team answered with their biggest inning of the day, scoring five runs and retaking the lead for good. The Lobos went through six batters before posting an out, beginning with a leadoff walk from Luis Gonzalez. Holley placed two runners in scoring position with a double, before DeVito plated both with his double off the right centerfield wall.
Carl Stajduhar reached base on a hit-by-pitch, which set up Zoellner’s two-run double off the centerfield batters eye. After a wild pitch moved Zoellner over, he would score on Erick Migueles’ sacrifice fly, the first out of the third inning.
UNLV scored two runs over the course of the fifth and sixth innings, but the Lobos grew their lead with four runs over the same time frame. The first came in the fifth, when Zoellner hit a one-out solo jack over right field. It was Zoellner’s sixth home run of the season.
In the sixth, Andre Vigil and Dalton Bowers each reached base to start a rally. Holley sent them both home on a double to right centerfield that bounced off the wall. On the next at bat, DeVito secured his fourth RBI by pelting a double down the right field line.
The Rebels scored one more run in the eighth inning, but never threatened the Lobo lead.
The series finale will take place Sunday at 1 p.m. at Santa Ana Star Field. It will be aired live on ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM.
NOTES: This was Birmingham’s 1,109th victory as a collegiate head coach, the most in New Mexico collegiate baseball history. He will be inducted into the state’s Hall of Fame on Sunday…Since defeating Sacramento State 1-0, the Lobos have averaged 12.3 runs per game…Today, the Lobos batted .444 with runners in scoring position…67.4 percent of pitches thrown by Stevens and Estrella were for strikes…Chris DeVito will enter the final game of a five-game week batting .533 with five extra base hits and 10 RBI on the week.
Lobos Continue Strong Play with 10-5 Win Over UNLV
