Utah Drops 8-5 Decision at New Mexico

Friday, April 21

Albuquerque, N.M.

12:00 PM

University of Utah

19-16, 0

New Mexico

25-12, 0

Utah

New Mexico Lobos

4/21/2006 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 21, 2006

Final Stats

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - A five-run fifth inning for New Mexico led to an 8-5 loss for the University of Utah baseball team Friday afternoon at Isotopes Park.

Utah (19-16, 3-4 MWC) grabbed a 1-0 lead when shortstop Ryan Khoury led off the game with his seventh home run of the season. The game remained scoreless for the next three innings. The starting pitchers - Josh Cooper for the Utes and Nate Melek for the Lobos - squared off in a pitchers' duel for the first four frames.

However, one poor inning for Utah led to five runs for New Mexico (25-12, 7-3) in the bottom of the fifth. The Lobos got a one-out bunt single from Jordan Pacheco, followed by Jay Russell reaching on a catcher's interference call. One batter later Daniel Stovall doubled Pacheco home to tie things up at 1-1. Cooper allowed a pair of walks to push another run home and the Lobos led 2-1.

New Mexico catcher Drew McDonald delivered the big blow, with a two-run single up the middle. A Dane Hamilton RBI base hit made it 5-1.

Utah got right back into the game in the top of the sixth. Khoury and second baseman Tyler Kmetko led the inning off with back-to-back singles. Two batters later, center fielder John Welsh grounded out to chase Khoury home. Designated hitter Bret Baldwin then lined a home run down the left-field line to pull the Utes within one run, 5-4.

New Mexico added three big insurance runs in the eighth inning. Russell's two-run double to left-center made it 7-4. The Lobos' Chris Carlson singled home another run to make it 8-4.

Utah added a single run in the ninth, accounting for the final tally.

Khoury led the Utes at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI. Welsh was 2-for-4 with one RBI. Pacheco was 2-for-4 with two runs scored to pace New Mexico.

Cooper (3-5) suffered the loss, after going 6 2/3 innings. All five runs he allowed were unearned. Cooper was a bit shaky with his control, walking six and striking out five. Melek (5-4) picked up the victory for New Mexico. He allowed four earned runs in 6 1/3 innings of work. Melek tallied five strikeouts and walked just two Ute batters.

The Utes and Lobos will play the ninth inning of a suspended game Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Utah leads that game, which was started back on April 2 at the MWC Preseason Tournament. Following the conclusion of the suspended game, the two teams will play the second game of their series.

-UU-