AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — The University of New Mexico baseball team put together a season high in runs and hits as the Lobos scored in each of the first seven innings and opened Mountain West play with a 19-5 victory over Air Force on Friday afternoon at Falcon Field.
Combine it with a strong effort by Tyler Stevens on the mound and it was a solid all-around effort from the Lobos – though head coach Ray Birmingham said the series is far from over.
“Tyler really pitched it today and that was the difference in the ballgame,” Birmingham said. “We swung it a little bit better too – but we got a lot of work to do. … But it’s going to be a war with those guys tomorrow and the next day. That club won’t lay down. They are going to fight.”
UNM (5-3 overall, 1-0 MW) took advantage of four Air Force (4-4, 0-1) errors in the first inning to score four runs – highlighted by an Andrew Pratt two-run single – as the Lobos jumped out front and never looked back..
The Lobos scored in every inning except the eighth as their 19 runs and 19 hits were both season highs. New Mexico eventually built a 14-0 lead before Air Force scored three in the seventh and two in the eighth to cut the lead to nine before a five-run ninth inning by the Lobos.
The Lobos finished with six players with multiple hits with Jack Zoellner leading the way, going 4-for-6 with a home run, double and three RBI. Luis Gonzalez went 3-for-4 with two RBI, three runs and two stolen bases, Andre Gregory was 3-for-6 with two doubles and four RBI, Danny Collier was 3-for-7 with two RBI and four runs while Andre Vigil and Carl Stajduhar had two hits apiece as well.
Stevens got the win, going 7.2 innings and giving up five runs on eight hits with nine strikeouts and a walk to move to 1-1 on the season. Stevens shut out the Falcons for the first six innings and allowed just two hits. Cody Dye went the final 1.1 innings, giving up no runs on one hit.
Floyd picked up the loss for Air Force, going two innings and giving up eight runs (five earned) on eight hits with no strikeouts and two walks.
The two teams play game two 1 p.m. Saturday at Falcon Field. Carson Schneider is the projected starter on the mound for the Lobos.
NOTES
- Friday was the most runs for the Lobos since beating Air Force Academy 23-2 on the road May 19, 2016
- Andrew Pratt started at designated hitter for the first time this season
- Freshman Connor Mang had his first at-bat as a Lobo, flying out to the warning track in right-center field when he entered as a pinch htitter in the seventh. He walked in his second at-bat.