Rebels Down Lobos 10-3 in Game 2, Even Weekend Series
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – New Mexico struck first in the second game of its Mountain West series with UNLV Friday night at Earl E. Wilson Stadium but couldn’t fully respond to six runs from the Rebels (19-19, 6-11 MW) in the bottom of the first two frames as they suffered a series-tying 10-3 loss.
With their four-game win streak over UNLV snapped, the Lobos (21-17, 9-8 MW) will get another opportunity to clinch their first road weekend series of the season in Sunday’s rubber match at 1 p.m.
The Lobos briefly cut the deficit to 6-3 in the fourth thanks to a two-run triple off the bat of Josh McAlister (1-for-4, 2 RBI), but couldn’t scratch across another run as UNLV tacked on an insurance with a solo shot in the fifth before cashing in three more in the eighth.
Akili Carris (2-for-4) notched his fourth multi-hit game against the Rebels this season, Jordy Oriach (2-for-4, RBI, 1 R) drove in the Lobos’ first run and scored another and Luke Mansy (1-for-4, 1 R) finished with a hit for the ninth game in his last 10 and extended his on-base streak to 13 games. Ethan Ott (1-for-4) added a late double – his 12th of the season – and Cooper Brass contributed a pinch-hit single in the ninth to round out UNM’s nine-hit effort.
UNM finished with nine hits on the night to UNLV’s eight – snapping a streak of six games in a row with double-digit knocks for the Lobos – and went 3-for-8 (.375) with runners in scoring position but left eight aboard on the night. UNLV took advantage of 13 free passes issued by Lobo pitching and scored eight of its 10 runs in innings where at least one walk was involved.
After the Lobos pushed across a run in the top of the first with an RBI base knock from Oriach, the Rebels responded with a four-spot in the home half and two more in the second to take early control and didn’t look back. Starting RHP Cristian Mogen (0.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB) was tagged with the loss, giving way to RHP Tommy White, who struck out three in 3 2/3 innings of middle relief (3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 3 K) to help settle things down.
LHP Matthew Cornelius (3.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K) took over in the fifth and held the Rebels to just one run on a solo homer across his first three frames of work, escaping jams to put a zero on the board in the sixth and seventh before exiting the game with one out on the board and bases loaded in the eighth. RHP Jack Messmore (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R/0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K) tossed the rest of the eighth before three of four Lobos were struck out in the top of the ninth to end the game.
ON DECK
Saturday’s rubber match in Las Vegas is set for a 1 p.m. MT start. All of this weekend’s series will be available to stream free via the MW Network, with live stats, streaming options and more available via GoLobos.com/BSBGameDay. Follow @UNMLoboBaseball on IG, X and Facebook for comprehensive coverage, promotional updates, behind-the-scenes content and more.
THE ALL-TIME SERIES
• UNM trails the all-time series 95-104, holding a 48-29 advantage over the Rebels at home with a 45-75 record against them in Vegas.
• The Lobos went 5-1 against the Hustlin’ Rebels last season, with UNM’s sweep in March marking the first series win over the Rebels since 2019. Thursday’s series-opening win was the Lobos’ fourth in a row over UNLV.
• Head Coach Tod Brown is 11-9 against UNLV in his tenure at UNM. The Lobos have now won eight of the last 10 meetings.