Russell’s Knock Walks Off BYU 8-7
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sitting on the bench watching Aaron Makil cruise into the seventh inning, Lance Russell could be forgiven if he thought a pinch-hitting walk-off opportunity was in his immediate future. It was, and boy was he ready, cueing an infield single with the bases loaded and two outs to score pinch runner Adam Schneider from third base for a dramatic 8-7 victory over the BYU Cougars in the first game of a four-game, three-day series.
That series continues on Friday with a doubleheader starting at noon. Game one will feature UNM’s Justin Armbruester (0-0, 0.75 ERA) against BYU’s Cy Nielsen (0-1, 4.15 ERA). Game two will see UNM’s Tristan Lively (1-0, 2.53 ERA) take on Jarod Lessar (0-0, 1.93 ERA).
Early on it was all Aaron Makil, as its been for most of the season. Makil, the junior right-hander, was brilliant, retiring the first 10 Cougars he faced. That string ended with a one-out triple, but he kept that run there, keeping the game scoreless until UNM struck for four runs in the fourth.
B9 | Pinch hitter Lance Russell’s infield single WALKS OFF over BYU 8-7!!! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/9dCzyOkSih
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) February 28, 2020
Those runs came on six singles as UNM had 15 hits on the evening, all of them being singles. In the inning UNM got run scoring base hits from Ediberto Reyes, Kemuel Thomas-Rivera, Justin Watari and Kyle Landers, the last two with two outs.
UNM expounded on that 4-0 lead with single runs in the fifth and sixth and up 6-0, it looked like Makil was in line for his third win of the season, but a shaky defensive inning turned into his undoing. A pair of errors led to four unearned runs, two off Makil as the Cougars tied the game at 6-6 with a 6-run outburst.
UNM went right back ahead in the bottom of the seventh as Thomas-Rivera, whose error helped BYU tie the game, atoned with a clutch run-scoring single for a 7-6 lead.
T6 | Aaron Makil gets two strikeouts with the bases loaded to keep the shutout going … it’s 5-0 Lobos after 5 1/2 #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/5sErlmYerI
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) February 27, 2020
Payton Strambler came in and held BYU in the eighth, but a pair of singles tied the game up, setting up for the wild ninth. Against Reid McLaughlin, Justin Watari singled with one out, and then was replaced by Schneider. He promptly stole second and crossed to third on a flyout to right field by Landers. At that point, BYU opted to intentionally walk both Kyler Castillo and Connor Mang to get to Shane Podsednik. UNM head coach Ray Birmingham brought in Russell to pinch hit, and after looking at a ball, he hit a grounder into shallow right. Second baseman Peyton Cole dove and got a glove on it but the ball squirted away, allowing Russell to easily beat it out for the walk-off.
UNM was paced by Watari, Reyes and Harry Fullerton, who all had three hits, with Reyes and Thomas-Rivera driving in two each. Lobo pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts and just three walks. Makil went 6.1 innings, allowing two earned runs but got a no-decision. Strambler earned the win, his first of the season.
NOTES: UNM and BYU combined to leave 24 men on base, but just five in the first five innings … UNM left 10 runners on over the final four innings, and BYU left nine.