Lobos Downed Late in Opener at San Jose State
SAN JOSE, Calif. – New Mexico Baseball got the tying run in scoring position in the top of the ninth inning of its weekend series opener with San Jose State Thursday night at Excite Ballpark but couldn’t get it across, falling 8-7.
With Air Force’s win over Fresno State, the Lobos (27-23, 16-12 MW) move into a three-way tie for first place with both teams at 16-12 – they still need just one win to clinch their first MW Tournament berth since 2017 and can clinch at least a share of the MW Regular Season Championship if they win the next two.
Reed Spenrath led a 12-hit night for UNM with a 3-for-5 performance that included two doubles, with Jake Holland (2 R, 1 RBI) and Konner Kinkade (1 RBI) both finishing with two knocks apiece and Chase Weissenborn (2 R, 1 RBI), Will Asby (1 R, 1 RBI), Ethan Ott (1 RBI), Tye Wood (1 R) and Khalil Walker all adding one each. Holland mashed his 16th homer of the season and his fifth in four games against San Jose and he and Wood both drew two walks each, with Walker drawing another.
RHP Dayne Pengelly (4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R/3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K) wasn’t as sharp as his 12-K outing last Friday but kept the damage minimal during his time on the mound, with RHP Josh Barnhouse (1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K) being tagged for the loss to drop to 2-3 after a tough fifth. LHP Arthur Steinkamp (3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K) kept things difficult the rest of the way to give the Lobos another chance to swing the bat. UNM scored six runs in the first six innings but couldn’t get back on the board until the final frame with a double play ball from Ott that squeezed out a run. Gene Trujillo struck out swinging on a 2-2 count in a pinch-hit AB to end the game with Wood on second.
UP NEXT
RHP Brett Russell (6.12 ERA, 4-2, 50.0 IP, 14 BB, 38 K) is set to get the start on the bump for a pivotal Game Two tomorrow night at 7 p.m. MT, with LHP Micky Thompson (6.18 ERA, 3-4, 67.0 IP, 28 BB, 45 K) on the mound for the Spartans. All of this weekend’s games will be broadcast via the MW Network at GoLobos.com/WatchBSB, with live stats available via GoLobos.com/BSBStats. Follow @UNMLoboBaseball on socials for promotional/marketing and gameday updates, behind-the-scenes content and more.