CSU Pueblo holds off Lobos 8-6

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Inning-ending double plays in the seventh and eighth innings on Wednesday afternoon at Santa Ana Star Field propelled visiting Colorado State Pueblo to an 8-6 win over the New Mexico baseball team in non-conference play.

The Lobos had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh and runners on the corners with one out in the eighth, but could not capitalize on two prime opportunities to overcome a narrow deficit. A sharp line drive off the bat of Deylan Pigford was right at ThunderWolf second baseman Kolton Miller, who ended the seventh by doubling off the runner at first. New Mexico put the tying run on base again in the eighth, but this time it was a double play turned by Kysen Howard and Miller to end the inning and push the visitors three outs away from victory.

Ruben Portillo then pitched a scoreless ninth inning, and completed his first save of the season with two strikeouts against a walk and a hit in two innings of relief. Edwing Corrales earned the win for CSU Pueblo, allowing two runs on six hits with two walks and a strikeout in 4 1/3 innings of work.

Jeffrey David was 4-for-5 with a home run and two doubles, while Lenny Junior Ashby went 3-for-5 as that duo led the Lobo offense. Jake Holland and Deylan Pigford hit back-to-back solo home runs, and Reed Spenrath and Justin Olson each drove in a run. The Lobos slipped to 17-14 with Wednesday’s defeat.

Cody Macias and Christian Casteneda were each 3-for-4 for the visitors, who snapped a 10-game losing streak with Wednesday’s victory. CSU Pueblo improved to 13-24 on the season with the win.

The Lobos took the lead in the bottom of the second, on back-to-back home runs by Holland and Pigford. Holland’s deep blast to left field landed up against the building adjacent to The Pit, and Pigford’s pulled shot to right wound up in University Blvd. across the street from the field.

The ThunderWolves responded immediately in the top of the third, as Macias led off the frame with a double and Elijah Borjas and Casteneda delivered two-out knocks to tie the game at 2-2.

Ashby smashed a line drive to the wall in center for the 52nd double of his career, and Spenrath picked up his team-leading 36th RBI of the season with a two-out double into the right-field corner to make the score 3-2.

Another leadoff double, this time off the bat of Cole Knightley in the fourth, led to two more runs as CSU Pueblo pulled back ahead. Jeremiah Sanchez beat out an infield single to tie the game before a sacrifice line out by Howard made the score 4-3 in favor of the visitors. Knightly tacked on a three-run home run to left in the top of the fifth, increasing the TunderWolves’ advantage to four runs.

David led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run over the hitter’s eye in center field, getting the Lobos one back to cut the deficit to 7-4.

Macias plated another run with his third hit of the day, rolling a two-out, two-strike single into center field to make the score 8-4 in the top of the seventh.

David’s second double of the day led off the bottom of the seventh, and the Lobos turned it into a run on an infield single by Olson. Corrales did well to limit the damage however, as he got out of a bases-loaded jam with a line-drive double play to keep his team in front 8-5.

In a repeat of the seventh inning, an RBI-knock by David got the Lobos one run closer but the Lobos once again stranded a pair of runners. A walk and a hit batter in the ninth put the tying run on base once again, but Portillo ended the drama with a ground out.

Lobo starter Benjamin Baker-Livingston allowed four runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and a walk in his four innings of work. Justin Still logged 2 1/3 shutout innings to finish the game for UNM, and Arthur Steinkamp chipped in 1 1/3 shutout frames out of the bullpen. New Mexico stranded 11 runners on base, while CSU Pueblo left 10 aboard.

LOBO NOTES: New Mexico is now 23-6 all-time against the ThunderWolves with all 29 games in the series having been played in Albuquerque…Holland’s home run was his eighth of the season and the 15th of his collegiate career…Pigford’s home run was his fifth of the season and the 17th of his collegiate career…it was the first time UNM hit back-to-back home runs in a game since Kamron Willman and Ashby achieved the feat on May 10, 2022 against New Mexico State…Baker-Livingston had three assists total in his collegiate career entering Wednesday’s game, as his five total were a career high…Wednesday marked David’s third-career two-double game and his first of the season.

NEXT WEEK: The Lobos are off from Mountain West play this weekend, and will kick off a five-game road stretch on Tuesday night with a 6 p.m. first pitch at New Mexico State. UNM will jump back into conference play with a three-game series at Air Force starting on April 21.