Utah Baseball Defeats New Mexico 6-5

Saturday, March 20

Albuquerque, N.M.

6:00 PM

University of Utah

5-12, 1-1

New Mexico

4-13-1, 1-1

University of Utah

New Mexico

3/20/2004 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 20, 2004

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Despite being out-hit 12 to 8, the Utah baseball team defeated New Mexico 6-5 this afternoon, earning its first conference win of the season. With the victory, the Utes improve to 5-12 overall and 1-1 in the Mountain West Conference.

Junior Doug Mackay earned the win on the mound, improving to 2-4 on the year. He pitched 6.2 innings, giving up three runs on 10 hits. He struck out eight and walked just one.

Junior reliever Clay Westmoreland got the save, his second of the year. He threw 2.0 innings, giving up no hits and striking out three.

After three innings of scoreless baseball, Utah plated three in the top of the fourth on an RBI-single by junior Trevor Eastman, a ground out by senior Eric Chevalier and a one-run single by senior Michael Westfall, Jr.

The Utes added two more in the fifth on a double by junior Matt Ciaramella and a single by junior Tyson Olson, taking a 5-0 lead.

The Lobos made it a two-run game in the bottom of the seventh when they scored three runs on a pair of singles.

In the top of the eighth, Ciaramella stole third and scored on a throwing error by the New Mexico catcher, putting Utah up 6-3.

New Mexico closed the gap in the bottom of the eighth when Utah walked in two bases-loaded runs, making it a 6-5 ballgame.

After Utah went three up, three down in the top of the ninth, Westmoreland struck out all three batters in the bottom of the inning to seal the win for the Utes.

Ciaramella was the only Ute with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Olson, Eastman, Chevalier and Westfall drove in the other runs for Utah.

UP NEXT:
Utah and New Mexico close out the series at noon tomorrow, March 21.