Lobos Pound Utah Valley 16-2
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Justin Armbruester’s afternoon was pretty stellar, walking across the stage, diploma in hand after graduating from The University of New Mexico.
His evening was pretty special as well.
Armbruester looked every bit of the ace that he is, shutting down Utah Valley over seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits while striking out nine. He received plenty of offense in the form on 16 runs on 15 hits as New Mexico clinched a weekend series over Utah Valley with a 16-2 drubbing. UNM will go for the sweep tomorrow at high noon at Santa Ana Star Field.
The Lobos got all the runs they would need on a three-run home run smoked over the left-center fence by Lance Russell. The man they call “Bucky” picked up his first collegiate home run, and it was the start of an eight-run fourth inning. That would more than enough for Armbruester, who befuddled the Wolverines over his seven superb innings.
He allowed just four singles, and the only real sign of trouble was in the seventh. He allowed a single to left and after a fielder’s choice, he issued his second walk. Coming up on 100 pitches, Armbruester bore down and finished off his night with back-to-back strikeouts of pinch hitters Kyle Coburn and Connor Hall.
After the three-run home run in the fourth to make it 3-0, UNM put the game away with five more. Connor Mang wrapped a knock to left, and after an adventurous pop out by Willie Cano with the wind swirling, Kyle Landers plated Mang after a wild pitch moved him up. Adam Schneider walked and he and Landers came around to score on Shane Podsednik’s ringing double to left. That made it 6-0, and after a fielder’s choice and a walk, Kyle Castillo got his second hit of the inning to plate two more to make it 8-0.
UNM got it to 13-0 with five more in the sixth, all on just two hits. The first was a two-run double by Mack Chambers with the bases loaded. After a wild pitch made it 11-0, Lance Russell walked. He was then picked off attempting to steal second, but Chambers raced home and a poor throw allowed Russell to take third, and he scored on a Mang groundout.
The only blemish for UNM was two runs allowed in the eighth when Will Ambruester, in relief of his brother Justin, allowed a home run that just snuck out inside the left field foul pole, and then a bases loaded walk. Chezzare Gonzales threw 1.1 hitless innings to close it out.
Before that UNM made it 16-2 with three in the eighth. Russell’s fourth RBI of the night plated Chambers who reached on an error. Willie Cano singled to score Castillo and Harry Fullerton singled to score Russell.
NOTES: Every Lobo starter got at least one hit except leadoff man Chase Weissenborn, and he walked and scored twice … along with 15 hits, UNM benefited from seven walks … UNM has 25 runs in the series so far on 25 hits.