Box Score | 2018 Season Statistics | Friday Links: No Audio | Video | Stats
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Phillips Sikes hit the go-ahead single to highlight a 3-run rally with two outs in the eighth inning, and the Lobos once again got a huge lift from their bullpen as UNM defeated No. 23 San Diego State 5-4 in the opening game of a three-game set at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
The win pushed UNM to 11-12-1 on the season and 5-5 in the Mountain West, while SDSU fell to 17-8 overall and 6-3 in the league.
Down 4-2 in the eighth, Danny Collier opened the inning with a single, and Jared Mang walked. Robby Campillo’s sacrifice attempt didn’t work as Collier was forced at third. Hayden Schilling, who couldn’t start due to a hamstring injury, pinch hit and walked to load the bases, with Brayden Merrit running for him.
That brought up Connor Mang, who singled off the glove of the third baseman Merritt, tying the game, although Mang was thrown out at second trying the stretch the hit. With two down and Merritt at third, Phillip Sikes lined the biggest hit of his young career, a single to center to give UNM a 5-4 lead.
That was all UNM’s bullpen needed and Drew Gillespie, Malachi Emond and Christian Tripp combined for 4.2 innings of scoreless baseball. Emond was the winning pitcher, and it was well earned. He entered the game with a runner on third and one out in the sixth inning, and stranded that runner, retiring the first eight batters he faced, five via strikeout.
He left after three hitless innings with a runner on second and one out in the ninth. Christian Tripp entered and UNM’s closer got the last two outs for his sixth save.
UNM got a good start from Justin Slaten, who went 4.1 innings but left after running into trouble in the fifth inning. With UNM up 2-1, Slaten walked Julien Escobedo on four pitches, and then he wild pitched him to second. After crossing to third on a flyout, he scored, tying the game at 2-2, on a Jacob Maekawa single. Back-to-back walks loaded the bases and an error by catcher Robby Campillo allowed the Aztecs to take a 3-2 lead. Drew Gillespie relieved and allowed a single, but then got out of the inning.
UNM took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Collier start that inning off with a single. Mang walked and Campillo singled to center, driving in Collier. Mang eventually came around on a passed ball.
The Lobos will send Robert Gasser (1-1, 4.68 ERA) to the hill tomorrow against RHP Harrison Pyatt (1-1, 4.45). The game is slated for a 7:05 p.m. Mountain Time first pitch.
NOTES: UNM is now 30-147 all-time against ranked teams on the road … Sikes has now hit safely in each of his last three starts … Derek Marshall had a pinch single in the seventh … Emond and Gillespie both made their team leading 11th pitching appearances … Christian Tripp’s save was his 16th, moving him into second all-time at UNM, behind only Victor Sanchez’ 20.