ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A ninth-inning rally brought the tying run to the plate twice, but the late push was not enough as No. 12 Sun Devil Baseball fell to New Mexico, 9-6, on Tuesday at Lobo Field in Albuquerque, N.M.
The Sun Devils (30-18) scored three runs and had the bases loaded in three separate at-bats in the top of the ninth as they brought a six-run deficit within three. Three consecutive pinch hitters reached base to open the top of the inning, including singles from Ryan Lillard and Chris Beall, and a walk from Dalton DiNatale. Center fielder Johnny Sewald scored Lillard with a fielder’s choice and left fielder Coltin Gerhart was hit by a pitch to once again load the bases. Shortstop Colby Woodmansee and catcher Zach Cerbo each drove in a run with a single and a groundout, respectively, before a swinging strikeout from third baseman David Greer ended the rally.
Bad weather and an injury to right-handed pitcher Eder Erives marred the game. Erives took the mound following a 45-minute lightning delay in the bottom of the fourth inning and retired five of the first six batters he faced. A two-out fielding error in the fifth extended the frame, and he was struck in the face by a pitch in the next at-bat. He was taken away by an ambulance, but was conscious and moving.
Arizona State scored an unearned run without registering a hit in the opening frame to take an early lead, but the Lobos (28-23) countered with three runs in the bottom half to move ahead, 3-1, and led the rest of the way.
Sewald reached second base on a fielding error to lead off the inning and advanced home on consecutive groundouts, including a RBI from Woodmansee. The Lobos used three singles, including a leadoff hit and a two-run knock, and a wild pitch to quickly overcome ASU’s advantage.
Starting right-hander Ryan Hingst was chased two batters into the second inning after he conceded a double and was unable to get the lead runner out at third on a sacrifice bunt in the next at-bat. Fellow right-hander Tucker Baca replaced Hingst and conceded a RBI single to second baseman Sam Haggerty as the Lobos extended their lead, 4-1.
Erives inherited runners on first and second with no outs after the lightning delay, and allowed a RBI single up the middle before he retired the next batters via two strikeouts and a fly ball.
The two teams exchanged runs in both the fifth and seventh innings as UNM kept its lead at four before it tallied a pair of runs in the eighth on two walks, two wild pitches, a passed ball, a stolen base and a single.
UNM starting right-hander Victor Sanchez (1-2) did not allow an earned run and gave up just a pair of hits in four innings to earn his first win of the season. He struck out two and retired eight in a row before right-hander Taylor Duree took over in the fifth after the weather delay.
Notes
Sewald has eight hits and five RBI in the past three games…the Devils used six pitchers in the game, including Hingst, Baca, Erives, and right-handers Eric Melbostad, Hever Bueno and David Graybill.
Up Next
The Sun Devils head back to Phoenix Muni for the final home Pac-12 series of the season vs. Washington State May 14-16. First pitch on Thursday is set for 7 p.m., with Friday slated for a 4 p.m. start and Saturday at 7 p.m. All three homes will be televised by the Pac-12 Networks and broadcast on NBC Sports Radio AM 1060.
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