The UNM baseball team couldn't have fared much better against Eastern Michigan over the weekend.
The Lobos swept the defending Mid-America Conference Champion Eagles in a four-game series at Isotopes Park in their first action of the season.
"It's pretty hard to sweep a team of that caliber," head coach Ray Birmingham said. "That wasn't any chicken salad we played out there. You could tell by their athletes."
Lobos Drew McDonald and Rafael Neda combined for 16 hits, 14 runs and 17 RBIs in the four-game season-opening series.
UNM put on a show during its season opener Friday, thumping the Eagles 16-7.
McDonald had five RBIs, and second basemen Mike Brownstein added four hits.
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On Saturday, the men returned to the diamond to play a double-header.
The early game was a battle to the last inning, ending with a 9-8 Lobo victory.
The Lobos trailed 8-6 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and nobody on base.
Junior Anthony Martinez entered the game as a pinch hitter and reached base on a walk. Freshman Rafael Neda came to the plate next and doubled, driving in Martinez.
Senior Chad Itokazu drove Neda in with an RBI single and, a few batters later, scored the winning run.
The second game Saturday was never close as the Lobos beat the Eagles 13-3. The game was highlighted by sophomore Scott Gracey's five RBIs on four hits.
In Sunday's series conclusion, UNM grinded out a 6-3 win.
McDonald went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs. Martinez added an RBI, going 2-for-3 on the day.
Lobo starting pitcher Ryan Escarcega pitched five innings, giving up no runs.
He gave up just one hit and two walks while striking out two.
"We got the win, and that's all that really matters," Escarcega said.
Gracey moved from shortstop to pitcher in the ninth inning and had two strikeouts.
Birmingham said it was important to come out strong for the first series of the year.
"It gives us the spark that I told the players would happen if they did certain things," he said.
This weekend, the Lobos showed their depth will be a strength all season, McDonald said.
"It's just good for the team in general, at any position, to have two or three quality guys that we can insert whenever we want," he said.
