Lobos find walk-off magic twice more to sweep Hofstra
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – If one walk-off win was not exciting enough, the University of New Mexico baseball team struck twice more for walk-off victories on Saturday afternoon as the Lobos took both ends of the doubleheader over Hofstra. In doing so, the Lobos also secured the weekend series sweep; their second of the season.
In the opening game of Saturday’s twin-bill, last night’s walk-off hero Kyle Landers took the honors once more as he was credited with the game-winning RBI after drawing a bases loaded walk. In the night cap, the Lobos (12-4) got the game-winning knock from Kemuel Thomas-Rivera as he singled into left-centerfield.
B9 | A literal walk-off win! We score three runs in the bottom half to walk off Hofstra for the second time this series! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/LERCjaxm5g
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 7, 2020
B9 | WE DID IT AGAIN!! Kemuel Thomas-Rivera walks it off with a two-out single to left center that brings home Barker from second! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/JWn8Wp0VBm
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 8, 2020
While both games featured walk-off wins for the Lobos, arriving at each moment was much different.
In the opener, the Lobos found themselves down 3-0 going into the bottom of the third, but a two-run third and a three-run fourth gave the Lobos a 5-3 lead. Hofstra then battled back with four runs over the net three innings to take a 7-5 lead. After getting a run back in the bottom of the seventh and making it a one-run game, the Lobos trailed by three runs once more as the Pride (3-10) platted a pair of runs in the top of the eighth.
A five-run bottom of the eighth followed for the Lobos as they reclaimed the lead, 11-9. In the top of the ninth, the resilient Pride would not go away and they ended up scoring four runs in the frame to give themselves a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
After a quick popout for the first out of the inning, the Lobos went to work on their comeback effort. Harry Fullerton got things going with a single to left field. That was followed up by a single up the middle by Ediberto Reyes. On that single, Fullerton took third to put runners on the corners with one out. Lance Russell was then hit-by-a-pitch to load the bases. Adam Schneider, who came on defensively in the top of the ninth, then drew a bases loaded walk to force home Fullerton.
With the bases still loaded, only one out and clinging to a one-run lead, Hofstra got a big second out on a shallow fly ball to right field. With no runners trying to advance on the play, the Lobos still had the bases loaded, but with two outs. The Pride then went to the bullpen for Lucas Hall. Hall’s first pitch of the game was wild and allowed Reyes to score the tying run and Ethan Barker, who pinch-ran and represented the potential game-winning run, to third.
Justin Watari, who was the first man Hall faced walked on four-straight to once more load the bases. That brought in Landers. A night ago, Landers was the aforementioned walk-off hero as he doubled home two runs in the bottom of the ninth. In the opener on Saturday, Landers would not have to take the bat off his shoulder as he was walked on four-straight pitches as well, giving he and the Lobos the literal “walk” off.
In the nightcap, the Lobos once more trailed 3-0 early as the Pride scored two runs in the second and one in the third.
The Lobos got one of those runs back in the bottom of the third on a RBI single by Kyler Castillo. Two innings later, the Lobos offense struck for four runs on two hits, all with two outs. An inning later, the Lobos equaled that run total with four runs in the sixth, giving them a 9-3 lead.
B8 | Kyler Castillo with an RBI single to left scores Watari to give us a 10-3 lead! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/CzSXEQVq14
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 8, 2020
In the bottom of the eighth, the Lobos figured to be taking their final at-bats in the game and got a tack-on run of insurance thanks to another RBI by Castillo. Staked to a seven-run lead with three more outs to get, the Lobos looked to have put the heart-pounding theatrics of their previous two games behind them and were in position to cruise to comfortable victory.
Unfortunately, the Pride would not go quietly in the ninth inning and Hofstra ended up tying the game at 10-all after scoring seven runs on seven hits in the frame. In that inning, the Lobos used three pitchers with the last being true freshman Arthur Steinkamp. Steinkamp recorded the final out of the inning and kept it a tie game heading into the bottom of the ninth, allowing the Lobos to only score one for the win.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Lobos quickly got down to their final out as the first two batters were retired on five pitches. Shane Podsednik then worked a full count and drove a single right field to put the potential winning run on base. As he did in the previous two games, Barker was called upon to pinch-run at first.
During the ensuing at-bat, Barker swiped second base to pit himself in scoring position for Thomas-Rivera. On a 1-2 count, Thomas-Rivera hit a sinking liner into left-centerfield that just found some turf allowing Barker to score easily from second.
The Lobos will now prepare for week-long tour of the Lone Star State as they are slated for a two-game mid-week series at Incarnate Word and then a weekend series at the University of Texas. The series at Incarnate Word will take place on Tuesday, March 10 and Wednesday, March 11 with both games having a 5:30 p.m. (MT) first-pitch. The series at Texas will begin on Friday, March 13 and run through Sunday, March 15. All three of those game will be broadcast on the Longhorn Network.