EL PASO, Texas — Jack Zoellner proved he was human and several Lobo arms shined on the mound as the University of New Mexico baseball team defeated Rio Grande rival New Mexico State 8-2 on Tuesday night at Southwest University Park.
The Lobos (8-3) scored multiple runs for three straight innings from the fourth to the sixth to turn a 1-0 lead into a 8-1 advantage.
The scoring for UNM was capped by a two-run home run to right-center field by Zoellner, his ninth consecutive hit – dating back to his final at-bat Saturday at Air Force (he was 5-for-5 on Sunday and 3-for-3 after the homer Tuesday). Overall he’d reached base 12 consecutive times until he grounded out in the eighth inning Tuesday night to snap the streak.
“Jack is really knocking the cover off of it right now,” UNM coach Ray Birmingham said. “On that at-bat with the home run, he was fighting off pitches on the other side of the plate before he got that last pitch to hit out of the park. He’s really doing a great job at the plate.”
The Lobos used eight pitchers to keep New Mexico State (9-6), which led the nation in hitting at .366 heading into Tuesday, at bay and to only two runs. Austin Isenhart got the start for the Lobos and went two scoreless innings to pick up the win, giving up two hits with a strikeout in his first career start.
UNM got on the board in the second inning as after a Zoellner single, Andre Vigil ripped a double down the left field line and Zoellner hustled his way around from first to score to make it 1-0.
The Lobos made it 3-0 in the fourth inning as after a Robby Campillo single and Beau Capanna double, Luis Gonzalez hit a sac fly and Jeff Deimling hit a pinch-hit RBI single in his first at-bat as a Lobo.
UNM scored two more in the fifth and another three in the sixth – capped by the Zoellner homer – to build an 8-1 advantage and cruise to the 8-2 victory.
“We did some good things tonight and the pitching staff did a great job,” Birmingham said. “We still have things to work on. We left runners on third with less than two outs a few times. Those are things we have to clean up.”
Zoellner finished 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs and two RBI, Vigil went 2-for-5 with a double, RBI and run and Campillo finished 2-for-4 with a run and RBI.
The Lobos return home after eight games on the road when they begin a three-game series against San Jose State 6 p.m. Friday at Santa Ana Star Field. Listen to Friday and Sunday’s games live with play-by-play from Scott Galetti on ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM streamed at www.1017theteam.com and on the TuneIn Radio app.
NOTES
- The Lobos are now 159-84 all-time against New Mexico State, including 2-3 in neutral site games.
- UNM has won eight of its last 10 against New Mexico State, including four in a row.
- Carl Stajduhar moved into sixth place by himself in consecutive games started in Lobo history at 119. He is five games behind No. 5 on the list Larry Harrison (1980-83). The all-time leader is Mitch Garver (2010-13) with 181.
- Freshmen Nathaniel Garley, Brian Coffey and Austin Wendt made their collegiate debut for the Lobos Tuesday night, all with scoreless appearances.
- Junior college transfer Jeff Deimling made his Lobo debut and hit an RBI single in the fourth inning.