New Mexico Returns Home with Big Series Win Over Air Force

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The University of New Mexico baseball team returns home with an important conference series win over Air Force after a 12-7 victory over the Falcons on Sunday afternoon.

Jeffrey David had an outstanding day at the plate as he went 5-for-5 with three runs, two RBI, two doubles and a triple. Willie Cano also had a perfect 3-for-3 outing, including two runs and a RBI while hitting just a triple shy of the cycle.

Junior starting pitcher Tristin Lively went 5.1 innings and earned his first win (1-2). Aaron Makil earned his first save of the season as he shut down the Falcons through the last 3.1 innings, allowing no runs on just three hits to Air Force.

The Lobos opened up scoring in the first inning as Braydon Runion grounded out to shortstop to bring home David to give New Mexico an early 1-0 lead.

New Mexico tacked on another run in the second as Jack Silverman singled to center field to drive in Willie Cano, making the score 2-0.

The Falcons knotted the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the frame, but the Lobos wasted no time to take back the lead. In the third inning, David tripled to right center and then reached home on a wild pitch.

The Lobos put up four more runs in the fourth inning. All four runs were scored on hits to left field in the frame. Cano started the inning off with a solo home run to left field, his first jack of the season.

Next, Cody Holtz got on base as he singled to center. After a pitching change by Air Force, Chase Weissenborn welcomed the new pitcher with a double to left field to bring home Holtz.

With Weissenborn on second and only one out, Cole Posey stepped up to the plate and launched his first home run of the season, a two-run bomb to left field to extend New Mexico’s lead to 7-2.

The Falcons then brought home two runs through the fourth and fifth innings, making the score 7-4, still in favor of New Mexico.

Both the Lobos and Falcons scored three runs in their side of the sixth, making the score 10-7 after six full innings. In the Lobos half, three runs were scored on a double by David, a triple by Lenny Junior Ashby and a double by Kyle Landers.

In the Falcons’ half of the inning, their runs were scored on a home run and two-RBI single. Lively exited the game with 5.1 innings pitched, four strikeouts and his first win decision of the season.

The last scoring of the game would come in the seventh as the Lobos drove in another two runs. Posey hit a sac fly to drive home Justin Olson. David singled through the left side to bring Holtz around and extend the Lobo lead to 12-7.

Although no other scoring was done for the remaining two innings, closer Makil dominated for the Lobos as he allowed only three hits to ensure the Lobos went home with a 12-7 victory and the series win over Air Force.

New Mexico’s record improves to 11-13 overall with a 5-4 record in MW play. Air Force falls to 8-14 overall and 2-6 in conference action.

New Mexico will then head back to the Land of Enchantment for a state rivalry game at New Mexico State in Las Cruces on Tuesday at 6 pm.

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