It was a bitterly cold day on Sunday afternoon, but the UNM baseball team's bats were blazing hot while defeating New Mexico Highlands 28-3.
The Lobos scored at will and provided no mercy for their instate rivals from Las Vegas, N.M.
UNM scored early and often while demolishing the Cowboy's pitching staff. The Lobos got two in the first inning, thanks to RBI doubles from shortstop Dusty Young and junior first baseman Chris Alexander.
After Highlands cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the inning, the UNM offense went back to work. With two outs and catcher A.J. Spitaleri on second, Matt Young hit a sharp grounder to the second baseman. After making a nice play to haul the ball in, he tossed the ball over the first baseman's head. Meanwhile, Spitaleri scooted home before the relay could get there. The Lobos tacked on two more runs before the inning was done while building a 5-1 lead.
UNM's lead was up to six after it scored two in the third. But it was the fifth inning that the Lobos put the game out of reach. In all, they sent 11 batters to the plate while piling up nine runs. Alexander was the main force teeing off on the Cowboys' pitching for two home runs in the inning. Both of his shots were to left field, the first a solo shot and the second a three-run bomb. The homers were the first of the year for Alexander.
At that point UNM had all but sealed the victory but continued to dominate, adding six in the sixth, two in the seventh and four more in the eighth.
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In all, the Lobos had 28 runs on 26 hits. Dusty Young, third baseman Josh Mader and Alexander led the way. Young had five hits four of them doubles, to go along with four runs scored and six RBI's. Mader was four-for-six at the plate and drove in five runs. Alexander bashed in five runs on three-of-four hitting while knocking a pair of dingers.
Senior pitcher Chad Giannetti (1-0) was solid for UNM, tossing five innings of four hit ball and giving up just one earned run. He also had three strikeouts and walked none in his first victory. Kevin Letz and Darren Coltrinari pitched efficiently coming out of the pen to finish the game.
The game was delayed one hour and seven minutes while the maintenance crew cleared off a field of snow that was left over from Saturday night's snowstorm.
The Lobos (3-3) look to finish the three-game sweep today at Lobo field when they take on the beaten Cowboys at 1 p.m. UNM beat Highlands 8-0 on Saturday. In that game, junior pitcher James Vermilyea tossed the first shutout for a Lobo pitcher since 1993.
