FULLERTON, Calif. — For the third day in a row, the University of New Mexico baseball team was right there with one of the top teams in the nation.
Unfortunately for the Lobos, it was also their third consecutive one-run loss to No. 7 Cal State Fullerton as despite a strong start from Luis Gonzalez on the mound, UNM couldn’t find a way to plate a run and lost to the Titans 1-0 Sunday afternoon at Goodwin Field.
While the Lobos lost 2-1 Friday, 5-4 Saturday and 1-0 Sunday, UNM coach Ray Birmingham said there was a lot to be taken away from playing a high-caliber team such as the Titans so close.
“First, I hate losing three – but it was a very promising weekend,” Birmingham said. “What I saw was encouraging for the rest of the season.”
Gonzalez put together his best start of the season for the Lobos (11-8) on Sunday, going seven innings and giving up a run on seven hits with four strikeouts and no walks.
The junior also did it at the plate, collecting UNM’s two hits in the game by going 2-for-4 – his third multi-hit game of the series and 12th in 19 games this season.
But Gonzalez turned out to be the only Lobo to reach base and Fullerton (14-5) got all the runs it needed for starter John Gavin in the third inning.
Gonzalez surrendered a one-out double to Dillon Persinger and Timmy Richards followed it up with a single up the middle to score Persinger and give the Titans a 1-0 lead – the only run scored in the contest.
UNM had no answers for Gavin as the left-hander went eight shutout innings and gave up two hits with a career-high 14 strikeouts. Blake Workman worked the final inning for the save.
The Lobos return home and host Grand Canyon University 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and 1 p.m. Wednesday at Santa Ana Star Field. Listen to the games with play-by-play from Robert Portnoy on ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM streamed at www.1017theteam.com and on the TuneIn Radio app.
Lobos lose close contest to No. 7 Fullerton, 1-0
