ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico baseball team dropped the series opener to Air Force 18-14 on Friday night at Santa Ana Star Field.
The Lobos (26-20-1 overall, 16-4-1 Mountain West) rallied from a 5-0 deficit and scored 12 unanswered runs to take a 12-5 lead into the sixth inning, but the Falcons (24-20, 11-13) scored 13 of the next 14 runs, including a five-run ninth to take the lead for good, to come away with the win – Air Force’s eighth straight.
“We’re going to have to make a few adjustments,” UNM coach Ray Birmingham said. “They are fired up over there. We better be ready to go tomorrow and Sunday.”
The Falcons got to UNM starter Tyler Stevens in the first inning with five runs, but the Lobo right-hander settled down and threw four consecutive scoreless innings while the Lobos scored two in the first, three in the second (on a Carl Stajduhar three-run homer), four in the third (a Justin Watari two-run single and a Jared Mang two-run double), two in the third (highlighted by a Jack Zoellner homer) and one in the fifth (a Danny Collier RBI single) to push the UNM advantage to 12-5.
But Air Force scored four in the sixth (highlighted by a Tyler Jones two-run double) to cut the Lobo lead to 12-9 before UNM got one back on a Mang RBI single to push the Lobo lead to 13-9.
The Falcons answered with three more in the seventh (highlighted by a two-run single Adam Groesbeck) to slice the lead to one and tied it with a run in the eighth.
The score was tied heading into the ninth before five runs by the Falcons gave them a comfortable 18-13 cushion. The Lobos tried to rally as Andre Vigil added an RBI and UNM loaded the bases with one out, but a pair of strikeouts ended the game.
Christian Tripp picked up the loss, going two innings and giving up six runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Stevens went five innings and gave up nine runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and five walks.
Mang finished 3-for-6 with two doubles, three RBI and a run for the Lobos, Watari went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBI and three runs, Collier finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run, Zoellner went 2-for-6 with a home run and two runs scored and Beau Capanna went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run.
UNM and Air Force play game two of the series 2 p.m. Saturday at Santa Ana Star Field. Listen to the game with play-by-play from Robert Portnoy on ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM and on the 101.7 The TEAM “app.”
Lobos drop series opener to Air Force
