Complete Box: New Mexico 8, Nevada 3
RENO, Nev. — Carson Schneider pitched a complete game and Jack Zoellner and Andre Vigil both smacked home runs as the University of New Mexico baseball team snapped a four-game losing streak with a 8-3 win over Nevada on Friday night.
Coming off an arguably disappointing series against Dallas Baptist last weekend, the Lobos (7-5, 1-0 Mountain West) took no time to rebound against the Wolf Pack (4-9, 0-3 MW), riding their bats to an early 6-0 lead as Schneider held Nevada’s bats in check.
Schneider’s dominance at the plate was a big part of New Mexico’s success in its Mountain West opener at Peccole Park.
After UNM’s pitching staff struggled last weekend, Schneider largely avoided trouble against the Wolf Pack as he pitched the first complete game of his career.
He only gave up a single run in the third, fourth and fifth innings, and at one point had retired 11 batters in a row.
Even after loading the bases in the ninth inning, he got Nevada catcher Justin Hazard to foul out to left field as Reece Weber made a spectacular diving catch into the bullpen for the final out.
Schneider picked up his third win of the season, giving up three runs on six hits with four strikeouts.
But New Mexico’s offense also made its presence felt, as the Lobos coupled their power with some friendly winds for 14 total hits — including five extra-base hits.
Zoellner and Vigil both posted homers in New Mexico’s five-run third inning, and Carl Stajduhar (4-for-5, 2 doubles) and Danny Collier (3-for-5, 1 RBI) both racked up sparkling lines to pace the Lobo attack.
Chris DeVito continued to produce big numbers, too, punching a two-RBI single in the third inning to bring his team lead in RBIs up to 16.
The Lobos got on the scoreboard first in the second inning as Collier singled in Zoellner, who led off with a walk before advancing to second after Jared Mang reached on catcher’s interference.
New Mexico then effectively put the game out of reach in the third, tagging Nevada starter Christian Stolo for five runs on five hits.
Luis Gonzalez (single) and Stajduhar (double) led off the third frame getting into scoring position and DeVito knocked them both in with a bloop single down the right field line.
Zoellner then homered to add two more runs to the Lobos’ tally before Vigil followed up one batter later with a solo shot as UNM took a 6-0 lead.
Nevada would get three runs back in the next three innings, but Schneider’s mastery at the plate limited the Wolf Pack to only those three runs for the rest of the game.
New Mexico tacked on another run in the sixth inning as Dalton Bowers doubled home Collier and the Lobos posted a final insurance run in the ninth as Zoellner poked a two-out single up the middle to score Stajduhar.
The Lobos and the Wolf Pack will resume their series tomorrow at 2 p.m. MT. Tyler Stevens is slated to take the mound for the second game in the three-game series.
NOTES: Schneider’s previous career high in innings pitched was 7.1, recorded last Friday against Dallas Baptist … It’s the first complete game by a Lobo since Steven’s one-hit Air Force on April 12, 2015 … Schneider also set new career bests in runs allowed (three), walks allowed (one), hits allowed (six) and batters faced (36) … Friday’s game was the 10th time in 12 games New Mexico record double-digit hits