LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The University of New Mexico baseball team (31-17, 16-6 MW) dropped its first road game of the weekend against the UNLV Rebels (21-24, 11-11 MW), 11-6, Friday.
The Lobos were led by Jared Mang and Jack Zoellner, who each went 3-for-5 Friday. Mang drove in two runs and scored once, while Zoellner rounded the bases twice.
The Rebels jumped out to a big lead early and rode their early outburst to victory. The home team scored three runs in the second and seven runs in the third, leading the game by as much as nine runs. The Lobos scored in five innings Friday, but never by more than a run until the ninth.
The team’s first run came in the third frame. Chris DeVito drew a walk and was pinch run by Jacob Westerman. Zoellner moved him around the bases on a single up the middle, setting up a RBI single to centerfield from Mang.
From the fifth to the seventh inning, the Lobos scored in three-straight frames. New Mexico scored on back-to-back hits in the fifth. Zoellner doubled to left centerfield and was immediately plated on a Mang single straight to center. In the sixth, The Lobos loaded the bases by Scottie Graham reaching on an error, Dalton Bowers hitting a single and Luis Gonzalez drawing a walk. Westerman followed through by drawing a 10-pitch walk that drove in a run.
In the seventh, Mang came through again on a leadoff triple on the first pitch of the inning. Two batters later, Graham flew out on a sacrifice to bring home Mang. UNLV scored their final run of the game in the seventh to hold serve.
The Lobos’ most productive inning came on two runs in the ninth. Carl Stajduhar led off the side with another blast, sending a home run over the left field fence. It was his team-best 14th home run this season. Zoellner’s follow up at bat resulted in a single through the right side. Michael Eaton drove in the final run on a RBI single to left field. The Lobos ended the game with two runners left on base, bringing the game total to 13.
The Lobos will look to even the weekend score against the Rebels Saturday at 2:05 p.m. PST/3:05 p.m. MST.
NOTES: Mang has five RBI on the week, and until the sixth inning he had all of his team’s RBI this week…The Lobos are now 8-5 on Fridays this season…Matt Villalobos pitched the final two innings and held the Rebels to no runs and just two hits…Despite the loss, the Lobos remain a game and a half up in the Mountain West Conference standings.
Lobos Fall on Friday Night to UNLV
