Lobos walk-off Hofstra in wild series opener
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Leading by two runs heading into the top of the ninth inning, the University of New Mexico baseball team was forced to bat in the bottom half after Hofstra rallied for three runs to take an 11-10 lead. Undeterred by not sealing the game a half inning earlier, UNM scored a pair of runs in the bottom half to walk-off Hofstra, 12-11.
Delivering the game-winning hit for the Lobos (10-4) was Kyle Landers as he ripped a double into the gap in right-centerfield scoring Ethan Barker and Justin Watari. The junior first baseman ended the game going 3-for-5 with that double and four RBIs.
B9 | Landers with the two-run double ends the game for UNM’s first win of the weekend series, 12-11. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/YlTviVGCyX
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 7, 2020
Prior to Lander’s heroics, the Lobos had to find a way to overcome a letdown of an error in the top of the ninth that would have ended the game 10-9 in favor of the Lobos, but instead it allowed the Pride (3-8) to swing on top, 11-10.
Following a relatively quick out to start the bottom of the ninth, Lance Russell, who did not start but went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, turned in the at-bat of the game. After falling behind 1-2, Russell fouled off four of the next five pitches before being hit-by-a-pitch. Russell was then pinch-ran for by Barker. In the ensuing at-bat, Barker ended up at third as Watari roped an opposite field double into left-centerfield.
B9 | Watari with the double to left center to advance Barker to third. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/TwAJHizaAN
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 7, 2020
That set the stage for Landers. With first base open, one out and the tying and winning runs already in scoring position, Hofstra elected to pitch to Landers rather than put him on first to potentially set up a double play anywhere.
On the very first pitch he saw in the at-bat, Landers swung for the fences and came up empty. A ball followed and then Landers was down to his last strike after another swing and miss. Now down in the count 1-2, Landers got a pitch he could handle and hammered it into the gap. At worst, it was going to push across Barker for the tying run, but the ball found turn in right-centerfield allowing Watari to motor on home for the winning run.
The wild ninth inning was also indicative of how the entire game played out as the Lobos took the first lead in the second on a single by Shane Podsednik only to have Hofstra strike for four runs a half inning later. In the bottom of the third, the Lobos closed to within a run on RBIs from Watari and Landers. A two-run top of the fourth however, put the Lobos back down by three runs.
The Lobos answered right back in the bottom half and scored four runs to take a 7-6 lead. In that inning, the Lobos got RBIs from Kemuel Thomas-Rivera, Russell and Landers.
In the sixth, the tide swung in favor of Hofstra as they plated two to take an 8-7 lead. Once again, that lead was short-lived as the Lobos responded with two runs of their own to reclaim the lead, 9-8. Both runs that inning were scored on a 2-RBI single to right field by Kyler Castillo.
An inning later, Ediberto Reyes homered to right to give the Lobos a 10-8 lead at the time.
Overall, offense was not a premium in the game for either team as they combined for 23 runs on 30 hits. The Lobos had more hits in the game with 17. Additionally, eight of the batters in the lineup who got an at-bat had at least one hit in the game with six having multi-hit games.
The Lobos and Pride will meet back on the field on Saturday afternoon for a pair of games as they close out their weekend series with a doubleheader. The twin-bill is scheduled to begin at Noon (MT) out at Santa Ana Star Field.