Complete box: Dallas Baptist 5, UNM 2
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Heading into its series-opening game against Dallas Baptist Friday night, the 24th-ranked University of New Mexico baseball knew it would have to play a perfect game to have a chance against the Patriots’ pitching staff. Unfortunately, DBU’s pitchers were on the top of their game and the Lobos (6-2) fell to the Patriots (6-3) 5-2 in front of 1,047 fans at Santa Ana Star Field.
“DBU pitching is renowned, and you saw it tonight,” UNM head coach Ray Birmingham said. “They have big arms. They’ll zip it in there and then throw a slow breaking ball to change speeds for strikes. … They threw all their stuff for strikes.”
Carson Schneider (2-1) was the tough-luck loser despite matching a career-long outing of 7.1 innings. The junior lefty was charged with four runs, three earned, on eight hits and one walk. He struck out three and threw 60 of his 93 pitches for strikes.
However, a two-out walk in the first came back to haunt him. A bouncing-ball double over the third-base bag was bobbled by Jared Mang in left, which allowed the runner to come in and give DBU an early 1-0 lead.
The teams traded runs in the second and fourth innings, but DBU added to its advantage in the late innings and held on for the victory.
DBU starter Colin Poche had not allowed a run in 12.0 innings this season, but Chris DeVito changed that with a one-out home run off the light pole beyond the right-field fence in the second.
Down 3-1 in the fourth, the Lobos threatened to tie the game or take the lead. With Carl Stajduhar on third and Jack Zoellner on first with no outs, Mang worked a 12-pitch at bat before hammering a ball deep to left-center field. But DBU’s left fielder, Daniel Sweet, made a tremendous diving catch to rob him of extra bases and likely multiple RBIs. Stajduhar still scored on the sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 3-2. But the Lobos were unable to tie the game.
They thought they tied it in the fifth, however. With Dalton Bowers on third, Michael Eaton laid down a safety squeeze. Poche fielded the ball cleanly and came home with it. Bowers made a lunging, reaching dive and avoided the tag ,but he also missed the plate, and he was tagged out as he scrambled back to touch it.
DBU tacked on runs in the eighth and ninth, and DBU reliever Jordan Martinson allowed just one hit over the final four innings to shut the door.
“Poche is really, really good,” Birmingham said. “And the guy that came in behind him did too. … The biggest thing is I was really impressed with DBU’s pitching. They were really good. That’s the best one-two punch, pitching-wise, I’ve seen on this field in a long time.”
Stajduhar and Luis Gonzalez had two hits each, while Zoellner and DeVito recorded the other base knocks for UNM.
The teams will meet on Saturday at 2 p.m. Sophomore right-hander Tyler Stevens will get the start for UNM. ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM will carry the game, and fans can watch a live stream on the Mountain West Network on GoLobos.com. Due to a previously scheduled special event at WisePies Arena, there will be a $5 charge for parking on Saturday.
Notes: UNM battled at the plate and worked four separate at bats with 10 or more pitches … Bowers drew two of the Lobos’ three walks out of the nine-hole in the lineup.