ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico baseball team snapped its six-game skid in a big way Wednesday afternoon as it exploded for 22 runs and 25 hits against Grand Canyon during a 22-3 victory at Santa Ana Star Field.
The Lobos (12-9), who had struggled offensively during its skid with six runs during the six-game stretch, scored four in the first, two in the second, 10 in the fourth and six more in the eighth to rack up its second-highest run total of the season (scored 24 at Air Force on March 4) – a day after putting up just four hits against the same GCU (6-13) squad in a 6-1 loss Tuesday.
“That first inning set the tempo,” UNM coach Ray Birmingham said. “We aren’t facing weekend pitching and that’s what Lobos are supposed to do against midweek pitching. … (Our struggles) could’ve been a combination of things like fatigue or feeling sorry for themselves for losing a bunch of one-run games against one of the best teams in the country – but you still go to fight and compete.”
The Lobos, who gave up a run in the first, looked as if they may come up empty in the first inning as after an infield single by Danny Collier and a single to right by Carl Stajduhar put runners on the corners with one out – the next Lobo popped out and the Lopes were an out away from getting out of the jam.
But Jack Zoellner came through with a single up the middle to score Collier and tie the game with GCU, 1-1. Andrew Pratt followed on an 0-2 count with a three-run homer to left center field to give UNM a 4-1 lead, and the Lobos wouldn’t trail the rest of the game.
UNM used a pair of squeeze bunts by Collier and Jared Mang in the second inning to take a 6-1 lead before exploding for 10 runs in the fourth to push the lead to 16-2. The inning was highlighted by a two-run homer by Collier, a two-run double by Andre Gregory and a two-run double by Stajduhar.
It was part of a five-hit day for Stajduhar as he went 5-for-6 with two doubles, two RBI, four runs and a stolen base. The junior said the team has been working hard to fix the hitting issues that plagued them during the six-game skid.
“(The struggles hitting as a team) was frustrating,” Stajduhar said. “We had a couple of meetings trying to figure out what was going on. We finally realized we have to go up there and trust ourselves. We work super hard with hitting, and with our pitchers throwing the way they are, we have to get runs for them because they are throwing their butts off for us.”
It was more than enough for the Lobo pitching staff as six pitchers combined to hold GCU to three runs on eight hits. Austin Isenhart picked up his third win on the season (3-1), going five innings and giving up two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and three walks. Austin Wendt, Justin Slaten and Christian Tripp each tossed a scoreless inning over the final three frames for the Lobos.
The Lobos had six players with multiple hits as along with Stajduhar’s five-hit day was Zoellner (4-for-6 with three RBI and three runs), Collier (3-for-3 with four RBI and four runs), Mang (3-for-5 with four RBI and two runs), Daniel Herrera (3-for-5 with two RBI and a run) and Gregory (2-for-5 with three RBI and a run).
The Lobos return to Mountain West play 7:05 p.m. Friday (MT) as they travel to take on UNLV in a three-game series. You can listen to Saturday (3:05 p.m.) and Sunday’s (2:05 p.m.) games on ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM streamed at www.1017theteam.com and on the TuneIn Radio app.
NOTES
- Stajduhar’s five hits Wednesday was a season high, but not a career high as the junior had a six-hit game last season against Fresno State.
- It’s the second time this season the Lobos have scored 20 runs in a game and the eighth time they’ve reached double figures.
- The Lobos are now 21-11 all-time against GCU and 10-3 at home.