SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — For the second time this season, the New Mexico Lobos and the Cal Poly Mustangs played 10 innings. Unlike the first meeting, it was Cal Poly who got the better of it, scoring on a wild pitch in the 10th inning to win 5-4, handing New Mexico its third straight loss.
UNM was behind the eight-ball from the start as starter James Harrington allowed three runs and eight hits in 4.1 innings, but he kept UNM in the game with the help of a two double plays, as UNM’s defense reeled off four in all.
UNM got a run back in the second on a single by Richard Ware, and another in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Justin Watari. Harrington got into trouble in the fifth and Chad Smith came on with two on and two out and coaxed another double play, UNM’s third turned of the game, to keep it at 3-2.
Smith allowed a run in the seventh and had two on when Malachi Emond entered and struck out Tate Samuelson to end the threat. Emond continued his torrid pitching with 1.1 innings, striking out three.
Down 4-2, UNM scratched across another run in the eighth. After a Danny Collier ground out to open the inning, Watari, Phil Sikes and Derek Marshall all singled to load the bases before Daniel Zakosek drove in Watari with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-3, but pinch hitter Chris Dunn struck out to end the inning.
In the bottom half, a 34-minute rain delay slowed things down, but Emond threw another goose egg, giving the offense a chance to tie, which they did. Brayden Merritt punted past the pitcher for a single, and after a strikeout pinch hitter Robby Campillo was hit. He came out for Larry Leitha, putting runners on the first two bags. After another strikeout, Watari walked, and then everyone moved up on a wild pitch, tying the game. Sikes was then hit be a pitch before Marshall grounded out.
Emond gave way to Christian Tripp, who retired the side in order in the ninth of two strikeouts and a fly out to center, but UNM went 1-2-3 as well in the 10th.
In the bottom half, two singles put runners on the corners with one out, and Nick Meyer raced home when Tripp unloaded a wild pitch. The loss was Tripp’s first of the season, dropping him to 1-1, and UNM to 6-9-1 overall.
The Lobos are scheduled to play Pepperdine on Tuesday at 5 p.m. Mountain Time, but the weather forecast is iffy.
Lobos Drop Extra Inning Affair with Cal Poly 5-4
