.@BraydonRunion gets things going for the Lobos as he triples to right center and drives in @AshbyLenin 👌
UNLV 5 – UNM 1 pic.twitter.com/UuWGYUB6GC
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) April 2, 2022
Lobos Drop Game One to MW Leader UNLV
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico baseball team dropped game one by a final score of 18-3 against UNLV in the series opener on Friday night at Santa Ana Star Field.
Three Lobo pitchers combined for eight strikeouts on the night. In the middle relief position, Bobby Meza had a good outing as he went 5.2 innings pitched while allowing only two runs on four hits and fanning four along the way. Lenny Junior Ashby extended his reached-base streak to 21 straight games.
The Rebels opened up scoring as they plated five runs in the top of the first to take an early 5-0 advantage. The Lobos responded with two in the bottom of the frame. Braydon Runion hit a triple to right center to drive home Ashby for New Mexico’s first run of the game.
Down 1-2 in the pitch count with two outs on the board and bases loaded, Willie Cano stepped up to the plate and laced a single to shortstop to bring home Runion, making the score 5-2, still in favor of UNLV.
B1 | @CanoWillie hits an infield single to bring home @BraydonRunion 😃
UNLV 5 – UNM 2 pic.twitter.com/8ISgbUGeYw
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) April 2, 2022
UNLV then plated another three runs in the second. Riley Egloff also notched two strikeouts in the inning.
Riley Egloff (@rileye295) gets 'em looking for his first strikeout of the game 👀#GoLobos | #WeAreNM pic.twitter.com/m6svbwDVkP
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) April 2, 2022
Eggy gets a Rebel swingin' 👊#GoLobos | #WeAreNM pic.twitter.com/lu0worBnth
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) April 2, 2022
The Rebels exploded for six runs in the third and then tacked on another two in the fourth to take a 16-2 lead.
After Meza kept UNLV off the board in the fifth, the Lobos scored a run in the bottom of the frame as a double by Kyle Landers brought home Ashby to cut the Lobo deficit to 16-3.
B5 | @kyle_landers3 doubles down the right field line to bring home @AshbyLenin 🙌
UNLV 16 – UNM 3 pic.twitter.com/b1qNxbQ5xq
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) April 2, 2022
Meza went six up-six down through the sixth and seventh innings, striking out three and getting the other three outs on two fly outs and a groundout.
Bobby Meza goes three up-three down, ending the top of the sixth with a swinging strikeout!#GoLobos | #WeAreNM pic.twitter.com/D1mpqbbDen
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) April 2, 2022
Three straight K's for Bobby Meza, four total strikeouts on the night 😤#GoLobos | #WeAreNM pic.twitter.com/3lPIG78FVn
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) April 2, 2022
After a scoreless eighth inning, the Rebels scored two more runs in the ninth. The Lobos were unable to stage a comeback, falling to UNLV in game one by a score of 18-3.
New Mexico’s record drops to 12-14 overall and 5-5 in Mountain West action, while UNLV’s overall record improves to 17-9 (9-1 in MW play).
The Lobos and Rebels resume the series as they play game two on Saturday night at 6 p.m. (MT) at Santa Ana Star Field.
To keep up with Lobo baseball, follow @UNMLoboBaseball on Twitter and Instagram.