Lobos Downed in Series Opener at Air Force, 12-3

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – New Mexico Baseball tied things up early and trailed by only a run going into the seventh inning of its Mountain West weekend series opener on the road at second-place Air Force, but couldn’t find a response after an eight-run outburst over the next two frames from the Falcons, falling 12-3.

The Lobos (18-18, 8-8 MW) will get a shot to tie up the series in tomorrow’s Game Two, slated for a 1 p.m. MT first pitch barring inclement conditions.

Reed Spenrath slammed his eighth homer of the season to lead off the second in response to an early two runs in the bottom of the first from Air Force and Kyle Smith (1 R) and Akili Carris (1 R, 1 RBI) connected on two base knocks apiece to pace an eight-hit outing for UNM. Jake Holland and Khalil Walker both finished with a hit each to round things out.

RHP Dayne Pengelly was tagged for four runs – two earned – on three hits over four frames of work in the start to drop to 3-4 in games of record, striking out four but walking five. LHP Arthur Steinkamp calmed things down with back-to-back scoreless frames, including a 1-2-3 sixth, but exited the game after the Falcons jumped him for three runs – all with two outs on the board – in the following frame. LHP Jaren Jackson (0.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K), RHP Brian McBroom (0.1 IP, 0 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 K) and RHP Josh Barnhouse (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) pitched the rest of the way, with Jackson and McBroom facing three batters each and Barnhouse retiring three of the five he faced in the bottom of the eighth.

UNM stranded eight Air Force runners on base but couldn’t staunch the bleeding late – the Falcons picked up five of their 12 hits over their final two innings at the plate, producing 13 consecutive outs on Lobo batters from the fifth to ninth frames to hinder UNM’s chance of a response.

Smith broke up the streak with a one-out single in the final frame – he advanced to second on fielder’s indifference and third on a grounder from Wood but was held there by another grounder from Dixon that ended the game.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

UP NEXT / FOLLOW THE ACTION
RHP Brett Russell (2-0, 9.00 ERA, 25.0 IP, 22 K, 7 BB) will get the start on the bump against Air Force RHP Dylan Rogers (4-3, 6.21 ERA, 37.2 IP, 37 K, 9 BB) in tomorrow’s Game Two, set for a 1 p.m. MT start. All of this weekend’s action will be streamed via the MW Network, with live stats available via GoLobos.com/BSBStats. Follow @UNMLoboBaseball on socials for promotional/marketing and gameday updates, behind-the-scenes content and more.