Stephen F. Austin
New Mexico
Eighth Inning Dooms SFA in Loss to UNM
3/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
New Mexico 8, Stephen F. Austin 2
Lobo Field • Albuquerque, N.M.
Records: SFA (5-13); UNM (10-4)
Up Next: at New Orleans • Friday, Mar. 13 • 6:30 p.m.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Tuesday night, the eighth inning was fortuitous to Stephen F. Austin as the Lumberjacks scored four runs en route to the victory. Wednesday, that script was flipped as host New Mexico crossed the plate six times in the eighth, en route to an 8-2 victory over the Lumberjacks.
With the loss, SFA falls to 5-13 on the season as the `Jacks continue to search for those elusive back-to-back wins in 2015.
With the score tied 2-2 heading into the eighth, SFA recorded a pair of quick outs and seemed poised to head to the ninth looking for the go-ahead run. But the Lobos responded with a pair of walks, a hit by pitch, a double and a triple, scoring six times with two outs to secure the series split against the Lumberjacks.
For the fourth-straight game, SFA began playing from behind early, allowing a run in the bottom of the second to fall behind 1-0. The `Jacks rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the third, beginnng with an RBI base hit by Nick Ramos to score Matthew Dickey from third. Dan O'Neill then put the ball in play to first base who threw home to try and prevent Conner Fikes from scoring, but the throw was off, allowing Fikes to cross the plate and give SFA the 2-1 lead.
That score stood until the bottom of the seventh inning as starter Patrick Day and reliever Travis Day held the Lobos to just one hit and one run through six innings. UNM led off its half of the seventh with a double, then tied the game on an RBI single to left, leading into the abysmal eighth inning for the Lumberjacks.
SFA scored its pair of runs on just four hits, two of which came off the bat of Anthony Soriano. Nick Ramos and Eric DeJesus had the other two with Ramos credited with the lone RBI of the day for the `Jacks. Dickey did pick up a stolen base, making him a perfect 11-for-11 on the season.
On the mound, Patrick Day went 4.2 innings, allowing just one run on one hit and was credited with the no decision. Travis Day lasted 2.0 innings with a run on two hits while Chris Hassold coming on to earn a key strikeout in the seventh in his 0.1 innings pitched. Austin Smith took the loss, allowing six runs on four hits in 0.2 innings of work.
SFA splits the series against New Mexico as the Lobos pull even in the all-time series at 3-3. Today's win was the first for UNM against SFA in Albuquerque as the `Jacks had won the previous three games in the desert.
The `Jacks now hit the road for a long 1,200 mile trek back across Texas and into Louisiana, eventually stopping in New Orleans for a three-game SLC series against the Privateers. Game one gets underway Friday at 6:30 p.m. with game two scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. and game three throwing out the first pitch Sunday at 1 p.m.
-SFA-
