Baseball Suffers First Loss in MWC Tourney

Wednesday, May 21

Fort Worth, Texas

2:00 PM

University of Utah

24-27

New Mexico

33-23

University of Utah

New Mexico

5/21/2008 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 21, 2008

Box Score | Quotes

FORT WORTH, Texas - The University of Utah baseball team couldn't convert on its opportunities on offense as the No. 5-seeded Utes dropped an 8-2 decision to New Mexico here in the quarterfinal game of the Mountain West Conference Tournament.

The Utes now enter the consolation bracket of the double-elimination tournament. They play San Diego State, the No. 3 seed, at 11 a.m. (CDT).

On two occasions, the Utes (24-27 overall) loaded the bases but they couldn't take advantage of it to get the rally going. In all, the team left 12 runners on base, plating just two runs in the six-run loss.

Stephen Fife, who went 6.0 innings, takes the loss and falls to 7-5 on the year. He allowed seven hits, eight runs (six earned) and one walk. Fife fanned three Lobo batters. Bennett Askew came on in the seventh to relieve Fife. Askew allowed three hits.

Even though the Utes owned the 11-10 edge in hits, most of the 11 hits put people on base and it didn't score them. Trailing 3-0 in the top of the fourth, the Utes loaded the bases with one out. Then, Tyler Relf grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning. Again, the Utes juiced the bases in the sixth, this time with two outs and trailing 6-1. But, the Lobos got away unscathed as Austin Jones hit a grounder to the shortstop, and he flipped it to second to get the force out.

Michael Beltran led the Utes with a trio of hits. He got a hit in each of his first three at bats, and he finished the day with a 3-for-4 effort.

Cody Guymon and Jesse Shriner were the only Utes with an RBI tonight. With one out and Nick Kuroczko on third, Guymon hit a grounder to second. Lobo second baseman Mark Brownstein went for the force out at first, allowing Kuroczko to score.

Shriner's RBI came in the ninth frame. The senior catcher stepped in with one out and runners on the corners. Shriner hit a single to left field, easily scoring DC Legg from third.

New Mexico (33-23) struck first, plating three runs in the bottom of the first. An RBI single, an RBI double and an RBI groundout proved to be enough for New Mexico, the tournament's No. 2 seed.

The Lobos went on to score three more in the fifth and two more in the sixth.

UNM hurler Bobby LaFromboise got the win for the Lobos. He went 8.1 innings in allowing 11 hits and two runs (one earned). LaFromboise is 6-3 on the season.