T1 | Lobos on the board! @BraydonRunion scores on a double by @kyle_landers3 🙌
UNM 1 – NMSU 0 pic.twitter.com/nTE1a4rbSM
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
Lobos Run-Rule New Mexico State in Rio Grande Rivalry Take One
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The University of New Mexico baseball team run-ruled New Mexico State in seven innings by a final score of 19-2 in their first Rio Grande Rivalry meeting of the season on Tuesday night at Presley Askew Field. The Lobos officially broke a six-game losing streak against the Aggies, earning their first win over the in-state rival since a 5-3 win over New Mexico State on March 28, 2017.
Matt Haley was dominant on the mound for the Lobos, going a career-high six innings, allowing just two runs on five hits and fanning a career-high eight batters. Owen Loesch shut down the Aggies in the seventh and final inning as he struck out one batter and forced two ground outs.
All 14 Lobo batters reached base at least once, seven of them had multi-hit games. Cole Posey led the squad as he went 3-for-5 with two runs and four RBI, including a double and a home run. Kyle Landers had a 3-for-4 outing with a run and three RBI, all three of his hits being doubles.
The Lobos opened up scoring in the very first frame to take an early 1-0 lead. With two outs, Braydon Runion singled up the middle and then Landers brought him around on a double to center field.
New Mexico then opened up the second inning with two straight singles by Chase Weissenborn and Johnny (Shane) Podsednik. With runners on first and second with no outs, Posey connected for the second game in a row, notching his second homerun of the season – this time a three-run jack to give the Lobos a 4-0 lead.
THERE HE GOES AGAIN 😏 Cole Posey (@Co_Po5) hits a home run for the second game in a row!!
UNM 4 – NMSU 0 pic.twitter.com/T8D6ViCpxV
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
The Aggies put up their first run in the bottom of the frame to make the score 4-1, in favor of New Mexico.
The Lobos exploded for six runs in the third inning to take a steep 10-1 lead over the Aggies. After two groundouts, New Mexico went on a two-out rally. First, Weissenborn was hit by pitch. Then, a strange play commenced in which Podsednik had an inside the park home run to score him and Weissenborn.
INSIDE THE PARK HOME RUN FOR JOHNNY PODSEDNIK 😱
UNM 6 – NMSU 1 pic.twitter.com/CpKGM75vED
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
The scoring didn’t stop there as Cole Posey then singled up the middle before Jeffrey David hit his second home run of the season.
DINGER FOR DAVID ‼️🚀
UNM 8 – NMSU 1 pic.twitter.com/VvxOz7Yw24
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
With bases cleared once again and still two outs on the board, Lenny Junior Ashby singled through the right side, stole second and then reached third on a throwing error by New Mexico State’s catcher. Braydon Runion hit a ground-rule double down the left field line to bring home Ashby, before he was brought home on the second straight double down the left field line by Landers.
T3 | A ground-rule double by @BraydonRunion brings home @AshbyLenin 🤘
UNM 9 – NMSU 1 pic.twitter.com/IYWHXaUU5K
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
DOUBLE VISION 👀 Then, @kyle_landers3 doubles to drive in @BraydonRunion!
UNM 10 – NMSU 1 pic.twitter.com/on2VtR3DJE
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
New Mexico State plated one more run in the bottom of the third to make the score 10-2, still in favor of New Mexico.
In the fourth inning, the Lobos added another onto their lead. Weissenborn struck out swinging but then reached first on an error by the catcher. Podsednik then walked, before Posey hit a double to right field to bring home Weissenborn and extend the Lobo lead to 11-2.
T4 | @Co_Po5 doubles to right field to drive in @theweissenborn 🧀
UNM 11 – NMSU 2 pic.twitter.com/ztnfZr5JSl
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
Haley dominated in the bottom of the inning as he struck out the side in order.
E4 | @Matt_Haley03 strikes out the side in order! 👊#GoLobos | #WeAreNM pic.twitter.com/sJpNcL3NUC
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
New Mexico added a pair of runs in the fifth to take the 13-2 advantage. Runion started off the inning with a full count walk then he was brought home on a double to right center by Landers. Kam Willman then singled to right field to drive in Landers.
T5 | @kyle_landers3 hits the Lobos' fifth double of the night to drive in @BraydonRunion 🖐️
UNM 12 – NMSU 2 pic.twitter.com/WpGnHiCU10
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
T5 | Kam Willman (@kam_datdude2) singles to right field to bring in @kyle_landers3
UNM 13 – NMSU 2 pic.twitter.com/XQmPH2rwYT
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
The Lobos added another four runs in the sixth inning as pinch hitting came in clutch. Two scored on a double by Lance Russell, who was pinch hitting for Landers. Then, Willman lined a singled through the right side to bring home Adam Schneider, who pinch hit and was walked in the place of Runion. Pinch hitting for Olson, Jack Silverman drove home L. Russell as he hit a single through the left side.
T6 | Bucky (LanceLjrussell1) comes in to pinch hit and lines a double to drive in @seanstephens_ and @Jeffrey_David8 👏👏
UNM 15 – NMSU 2 pic.twitter.com/VXRoZnIiem
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
T6 | Kam Willman singles through the right side to drive home Adam Schneider!
UNM 16 – NMSU 2 pic.twitter.com/6o54Xmjd0o
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
T6 | @Jack13Silverman comes in to pinch hit and notches the Lobos third straight hit in the inning, driving in Bucky 😮
UNM 17 – NMSU 2 pic.twitter.com/h3yxcGtrvS
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
In the bottom of the frame, Haley forced a fly out, ground out and fanned one to end his career-best night.
P.S. @Matt_Haley03 is dealing tonight! He has a career-high eight punchouts through six innings so far 👊#GoLobos | #WeAreNM pic.twitter.com/G4Q6jLwF6X
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
New Mexico capped off scoring and secured the run-rule win as the squad scored two more in the bottom of the seventh. Daniel Martin came in to pinch hit for Jeffrey David and notched his first hit of the season, then scored his first run as Stephens doubled to right center. Stephens then scored on a wild pitch to make the score 19-2.
…. And now his first run scored as @seanstephens_ drives in @danielmartin_56 with a double of his own!
UNM 18 – NMSU 2 pic.twitter.com/FS61WCM51t
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
T7 | @seanstephens_ scores on a wild pitch!
UNM 19 – NMSU 2 pic.twitter.com/7jGqENajlI
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 30, 2022
Loesch came in to relieve Haley in the bottom of the seventh, successfully shutting down the Aggies, to lead New Mexico to a 19-2 win over New Mexico State on Tuesday night.
New Mexico’s record improves to 12-13 overall, while New Mexico State drops to a 10-12 record.
The Lobos will host conference leader UNLV for a three-game series from Friday-Sunday at Santa Ana Star Field. First pitch for Friday’s series opener is set for 6 p.m., as well as Saturday’s game. The series with the Rebels will close out on Sunday at noon.
To keep up with Lobo baseball, follow @UNMLoboBaseball on Twitter and Instagram.