FRESNO, Calif. — The University of New Mexico baseball team fell to Fresno State 16-2 on Saturday evening at Pete Bieden Field.
The Lobos (28-22-1 overall, 18-6-1 Mountain West) surrendered two runs in the first, four in the third and seven more in the fourth to fall behind 13-1 early on against Fresno State (28-22, 15-11) as UNM dropped its second game in as many nights to the Bulldogs.
“Our pitching got hammered tonight and they pitched outstanding,” UNM coach Ray Birmingham said. “It was really as simple as that.”
With a San Diego State win at Air Force on Saturday afternoon, the Lobos’ magic number to clinch the conference (UNM wins or SDSU losses) and host the Mountain West Tournament remains at three with four conference games remaining.
UNM’s lone run in the first four innings came when Carl Stajduhar led the fourth inning off with a double to right center, Danny Collier followed with a single and Hayden Schilling scored Stajduhar on a sacrifice fly to center to make it 6-1 Bulldogs. The Lobos scratched a run across in the ninth on a Luis Gonzalez RBI single that scored Andre Gregory.
Gonzalez finished the game 2-for-3 with a double and RBI while Stajduhar went 2-for-3 with a double and a run and Collier went 2-for-3.
Johnathon Tripp picked up the loss, going 2.2 innings and giving up six runs on eight hits with no strikeouts and a walk. James Harrington was effective in relief, going three innings and giving up one unearned run on two hits with five strikeouts and a walk while Brandon Langan tossed a perfect ninth inning for the Lobos.
The two teams play the series finale 2 p.m. (MT) Sunday with Luis Gonzalez (4-2, 5.81 ERA) going for the Lobos while Fresno State hasn’t announced its starter.