DALLAS — The University of New Mexico baseball team couldn’t overcome a three-run first by 23rd-ranked Dallas Baptist and struggled to get a key hit with runners on as the Lobos suffered their first loss of the season 5-2 Friday night at Horner Ballpark.
The Lobos (3-1) had their chances, but went 1-for-18 with runners on base and 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position while the Patriots (4-1) went 5-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
UNM trailed from the first inning on as DBU started the game with a single, a hit batter and an RBI double from Matt Duce to make it 1-0. The Patriots added to the lead on an RBI single by Camden Duzenack and a sacrifice fly by Garrett Wolforth off of UNM starter Tyler Stevens to push their advantage to 3-0.
UNM got one back in the top of the fifth inning when Luis Gonzalez, who had three of the Lobos’ four hits, hit a home run to right field that bounced off the leaping right fielder’s glove and over the fence to cut the DBU lead to 3-1.
But the Patriots answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to bolster the lead to 5-1.
UNM showed life in the ninth inning when it loaded the bases with one out following Gonzalez’s third hit of the game (the Lobos’ lone hit with a runner on base).
However, Patriots closer Seth Elledge got out of the jam by striking out pinch-hitter Andrew Pratt and getting Carl Stajduhar to fly out to deep center field to end the game.
Stevens picked up the loss, going five innings and giving up five runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.
The Lobo bullpen was strong as freshman right-hander Cody Dye and sophomore left-hander Austin Isenhart combined to give up just one hit over the final three innings with four strikeouts.
Freshman Beau Capanna had the Lobos’ other hit outside of Gonzalez’s 3-for-5 performance.
The second game of the series is set for 1 p.m. (MT) Saturday. Listen to the game live with play-by-play from Scott Galletti on ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM streamed at www.1017theteam.com and on the TuneIn Radio app.
NOTES
- Lobos are now 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts this season after Luis Gonzalez’s steal in the first inning.
- Luis Gonzalez is 13-for-21 against DBU all-time.
- Cody Dye picked up his first career strikeout in relief in Friday’s game for the Lobos in his second career appearance.