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Lobos Fall In Rubber Match At San Jose State

by Alma Solis

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The University of New Mexico baseball team dropped its final game, 4-2, to San Jose State to close out the conference-opening series at Excite Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.

As has been the trend for the Lobos this weekend, starting pitcher junior Tristin Lively had an outstanding outing as he allowed no runs on six hits and struck out three batters in 4.2 innings pitched. Three Lobos notched extra base hits as Braydon Runion hit his first home run as a Lobo and Kyle Landers and Cody Holtz each recorded a double.

This game got off to a slow start in which neither team scored for the first four innings, but there was plenty of action, highlighted by an outstanding pick off by catcher Holtz to second baseman Willie Cano.

With two on and two outs in the top of the fifth, the Lobos got on the board first as Kamron Willman roped a single to left field to bring home Justin Olson and give UNM the 1-0 lead.

In the next inning on a 1-2 count and one out, Runion launched a ball past the wall in left center field to give the Lobos a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning. This marks his first home run as a Lobo.

The Spartans tacked on four runs in the bottom of the eighth to take their first lead of the game, 4-2. The Lobos had one more opportunity but were unable to find home, falling to San Jose State, 4-2, in the final game of the series.

New Mexico falls to 4-7 (1-2 MW) this season, while San Jose State improves to an 8-4 record (2-1 in MW).

The Lobos travel to Tucson, Ariz., for a midweek matchup against Pac-12 opponent Arizona on March 8 at 6 p.m. (MT). The squad then returns home to host Fresno State in a three-game conference series next weekend, March 11-13.

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