Feb. 9, 2007

Box Score

TUCSON, Ariz. - The Lobos had the tying run at the plate with no outs in the top of the ninth but Arizona's closer, Daniel Schlereth, fanned three batters to end the game and give the Wildcats a 9-6 win in the season-series opener.

Arizona opened the scoring in the third, pushing Jon Gaston across the plate after three consecutive singles. Junior third baseman Ian Hollick erased the one-run deficit with a RBI double in the top of the fourth, driving home junior second baseman Jordan Pacheco.

The Wildcats took the lead back in the fifth but senior first baseman Daniel Stovall put it back in the Lobos' hands at 3-2 with a two-run home run in the sixth. It didn't last for long as Arizona put four runs on the board in the bottom of the inning thanks to a double, three walks and a hit batter.

A fielding error by Arizona's left fielder Brad Glenn led to two of the three runs New Mexico scored in the seventh, tying the game at 6. But Glenn got redemption in the bottom of the inning with a two-out RBI single. The Wildcats added two more in the eighth, extending their lead to 3.

Senior left fielder Jay Russell and Pacheco drew back-to-back walks to start the ninth. Schlereth struck out Stovall and then walked Hollick to load the bases. Schlereth settled in, striking out junior designated hitter Matt Hibbitts and freshman right fielder Adam Courcha to end the game.

Pacheco finished the day 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Hollick went 2-for-4 with two RBI. For Arizona, Gaston went 2-for-4 with three runs scored while Glenn was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.

Freshman Shane Dyer suffered the loss for the Lobos, surrendering two hits and an earned run in 1.0 inning. Junior Bobby LaFromboise started for UNM, giving up six hits, six earned runs, five walks and seven strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Jason Stoffel earned the win for Arizona, throwing two-thirds of an inning. Schlereth notched his second save, striking out four in 2.0 innings.

The Lobos (1-1) return to Kindall Field at Sancet Stadium tomorrow at 2 p.m., looking to snap the Wildcats (6-0) six-game win streak.