ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Garret Gouldsmith picked the perfect opponent for his first career home run. The freshman hit a three-run home run in the third inning to give the Lobos the lead for good, the homer coming against the team his father previously was the head coach, as New Mexico downs UNLV 8-5 in the opener of a three-game series at Santa Ana Star Field.
The home run was one of several big plays throughout the game, and it made a winner of Justin Slaten, who picked up his first victory since February 23. Slaten got through 5.2 innings and a career-high 128 pitches, not allowing a hit over his final four innings. Overall, five Lobo pitchers allowed just two hits over the final 7.1 innings.
The Lobos jumped on UNLV with a 3-spot in the bottom of the first, the key hit a two-run triple from Connor Mang. Mang scored on a Derek Marshall single later in the first, but Slaten struggled in the second.
Here are all the highlights from a big 8-5 win over UNLV to open our three-game series. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/3qkQafkPCs
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) April 21, 2018
An error opened up the inning, and it was followed by a long home run from Nick Ames, his conference leading 14th of the season. A double and a sacrifice fly made it 4-3 UNLV, but Slaten then settled down after that, not allowing another hit.
In the third, Gouldsmith, whose father Buddy was UNLV’s head coach and is now UNM’s third base coach, turned into the hero. With two on, he took a 3-2 pitch and went the other way, dropping a ball over the 338-foot mark in the corner for his first career home run, and the Lobos had a 6-4 lead. They would never give that up, thanks to stellar work out of the bullpen.
Slaten walked a pair in the sixth to end his day, but Drew Gillespie allowed just one of those runners to score, keeping UNM in the lead at 6-5. Gillespie in the seventh stranded the tying run at third. In the bottom half, Jared Mang supplied a cushion with a two-run homer, his second in as many games, to give UNM an 8-5 lead.
In the eighth, UNM had to dance in and around a little danger. After Gillespie got pinch hiter Vince Taormina out, Brian Coffey entered, allowing an infield single. That brough in Malachi Emond who walked a pair but sandwiching them around a strikeout. That meant Ames and his 14 home runs were up with the bases loaded, and UNM head coach Ray Birmingham went to closer Christian Tripp, who retired Ames on a harmless fly ball to right. Tripp then pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save of the year.
Throughout the game, the Lobos got jey defensive plays, including a pair of diving stops by Schilling at third, and two tremendous catches in center field by Brayden Merritt that saved at least four runs and probably five.
The win ended UNM’s 10-game losing streak, and six-game home losing streak, and moved the Lobos within 1.5 games of Air Force for fourth place in the conference. The Falcons were snowed out on Friday and will make that game up with Nevada on Sunday with a doubleheader. San Diego State won 3-2 in a controversial game against Fresno State.
Saturday’s 2 p.m. game will see Cody Dye on the hill for New Mexico. Tickets for all fans are just $2, and it’s the annual Lobos Love Pink game, with the UNM Cancer Center handing out free gifts to fans while supplies last. Additionally, UNM softball is at home at noon, and UNM women’s tennis is at home at 10 a.m., with men’s tennis following.
NOTES: Tripp made his 65th appearance, tying Rudy Jaramillo for 10th on the all-time appearances list at UNM … Tripp’s save was his 17th career save, and he is now three behind leader Victor Sanchez … UNM is now 160-0 in its last 160 games when leading after eight innings, going back to 2013 … Hayden Schilling has reached base safely via hit, walk or hit by pitch in 17 straight games.