SURPRISE, Ariz. — A dominant relief pitching performance by Nathaniel Garley and a clutch, extra-inning two-run single by Jeff Deimling paced The University of New Mexico baseball team to its first win of the 2018 season in a 3-1 victory over Cal Poly in 10 innings Saturday night in the College Baseball Classic at Surprise Stadium.
“We got a great job of pitching by the freshman (Robert) Gasser and the sophomore Garley,” UNM coach Ray Birmingham said. “It was really good and refreshing that our pitching carried us. Our upperclassmen are tightening up a bit in some situations – but they’ll get used to it. I’m going to keep putting them out there.”
Garley tossed five hitless innings of relief and added seven strikeouts to keep the game tied at 1-1 before the Lobos got a rally going in the top of the 10th.
The Lobos (1-1) started the inning with a Danny Collier single to right field, and after a popped up sac bunt attempt for the first out, UNM three-hole hitter Jared Mang dropped down a bunt that Cal Poly threw away and put runners on second and third with one out.
That’s when Deimling – who drove in UNM’s earlier run in the sixth inning on a fielder’s choice – on a 1-2 count ripped a single up the middle to score Collier and Mang and give the Lobos a 3-1 advantage on the Mustangs (1-1).
“Jeff had all three of our RBIs tonight and took his two-strike approach seriously in the 10th when some others did not,” Birmingham said.
It was enough for the UNM bullpen as Garley retired the first Cal Poly hitter of the 10th before Christian Tripp entered and closed out the game with a pair of flyouts to center field to pick up his first save of the season (the 11th of his career).
Garley picked up his first collegiate win in pitching five hitless innings while collecting a career-high seven strikeouts. Garley entered in relief of true freshman Robert Gasser – who was solid in his first career start (only the second time a true freshman has started on the mound for UNM since 2015) in going 4.1 innings and giving up a run (a solo homer in the fourth inning) on five hits with four strikeouts and four walks.
The Lobo bullpen in two games has gone 9.0 innings and given up no runs on four hits with 11 strikeouts and one walk.
Seven different players picked up the Lobos’ seven hits Saturday night, including freshmen Phillip Sikes and Garrett Gouldsmith picking up their first collegiate hits.
Connor Redmond picked up the loss for Cal Poly, going four innings in relief and giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Trent Shelton got the start and gave up a run on five hits with eight strikeouts and two walks in six innings of work.
Blake Wagenseller picked up two of the Mustangs’ five hits, including a solo home run for their only run.
UNM returns to action 5 p.m. Sunday when it takes on Gonzaga (0-2) at Surprise Stadium. The Bulldogs have dropped two one-run games this week in Arizona, including a 4-3 loss to No. 2 Oregon State on Saturday.
Garley in relief, Deimling at plate lead UNM to win
