The UNM baseball team continued its inconsistent play in losing 8-3 to Brigham Young University Saturday to close the schools' three-game series.
Lack of timely hitting and poor pitching in the early innings hurt the Lobos, who lost two of three games in their Mountain West Conference home opener.
The Lobos (7-13, 1-2 in the Mountain West) have been plagued with early deficits all season long, and it was no different against BYU.
The Cougars (10-9, 2-1 MWC) scored six runs early - four in the second inning and two in the third - and its bullpen shut the door on UNM's offensive attack, allowing three hits in four innings of work.
"Every loss we've had, there has been a mixture of things that we are not doing," pitcher Chris Cooper said. "Sometimes there is the pitching, like the one bad inning I had today. Sometimes it is the lack of hitting, and other times it is the defense. We need to become more consistent with everything."
The game was still in doubt when UNM made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth.
Trailing 8-3, the Lobos loaded the bases with no outs on a single by shortstop Dusty Young and two walks. The middle of UNM's lineup tried to keep the rally going, but to no avail.
BYU pitcher Matt Ward got pinch-hitter Anthony Lovato to foul out to third, right fielder Donny Sevieri, batting clean up, struck out and catcher Sean Murray flied out to deep right field to end the inning.
Cooper, UNM's starter, took the loss to even his record at 2-2. He pitched seven innings, allowing eight runs - two unearned - while striking out eight. He struggled early in the game, but found his rhythm and, at one point, retired 14 straight batters.
"I lost my focus and my composure a little bit early," Cooper said. "I settled down after that and tried to pitch my game. I was happy about what I did from the third on, but it wasn't good enough because I put my team in a hole."
The Cougars made Cooper pay for his early struggles, stringing together four straight hits in the second inning.
BYU left fielder Michael Wirrick led off the inning with a single and third baseman Kainoa Obrey followed with a two-run home run to center field. First baseman Ty Haguewood continued the run, getting a bunt single, and catcher Michael Davies hit a double down the left field line to score Haguewood. One out later, designated hitter Cameron Coughlin scored Davis with a single past the drawn-in infield.
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"We are very concerned about how we are playing," Young said. "We should have played better at home, but now we'll just have to try to get a couple on the road."
The Cougars tacked on two more runs in the third inning on a walk, followed by a double by Obrey to drive in a run. Obrey would later score on a fielder's choice. He finished with three hits and three RBIs for the game.
Young got the Lobos on the scoreboard in the fourth.
Trailing 6-0, Murray walked with one out and designated hitter Matt Alexander singled to left. Centerfielder Mark Okano walked to load the bases and Young, who went four-for-four on the day, singled up the middle to score Murray and Alexander. The Lobos scored another run on second baseman Troy Cairns' single.
Cooper kept the Lobos close by not allowing a base runner from the third until the eighth inning. But BYU scored two insurance runs in the eighth, thanks in large part to UNM defensive errors. Two errors in the inning led to the two unearned runs and knocked Cooper out of the game.
BYU pitcher Ryan Adams (4-1) got the win, giving up three runs in five innings of work.
UNM got its only victory of the series on Friday night 13-6.
UNM was led by Cairns and Young and the bullpen held down the Cougars, allowing one run in five innings of work. Cairns went four-for-six, with three RBIs and Young tied a career-high by driving in five runs.
Kris Gross (1-1) got the win for the Lobos, pitching three and one-third innings and allowing one run on two hits. Jeff Perez worked one and two-third innings of shutout relief to get his second save of the season.
