Lobos Square off with Cowboys in Season Opener

With a Conference championship in their rear view mirror and the Oklahoma State Cowboys, picked to finish 5^th in the Big 12, in their windshield, the Lobos began the long trek which may one day end in Omaha, NE.

The Lobos would send junior transfer AJ Carman to the mound to face the Big 12’s fourth best prospect and a sixth round draft pick back in 2010, Jason Hursh; a tall order to ask a kid on the bump for his first D1 appearance. Carman wasn’t fooling anyone during the four innings he pitched but he managed to hold the Cowboys to a single run. Hursh showed more dominance and pitched through the 6^th after getting touched up for two runs in the bottom of the 5^th. Rio Rancho High School grad, Josh Walker, came in for three innings of relief work for the Lobos and allowed one run on two hits.

The 7^th inning saw UNM lose any momentum they had. With Josh Melendez on third and Ryan Padilla (LCHS) on first with one out  DJ Peterson hit a deep fly ball to center field. It was deep enough to score Melendez easily, however for some ridiculous reason Padilla decided to tag at first and attempt to advance to 2^nd. He was thrown out at almost the same time Melendez scored which meant Melendez’s run did not count.

In the top of the 9^th Preseason Mountain West All-Conference Pitcher Hobie McClain took the mound ready to continue the success he had closing out ballgames in 2012.  He got Cowboy left fielder Gage Green to ground to second only to have freshman Sam Haggerty commit his botch the play and allow Green to reach safely. Pinch Hitter Tanner Krietemeier hit a seeing eye single threw the middle of the infield to score Green and take the lead. He would later score on a double by Randy McCurry to put the Cowboys up 4-2 heading into the bottom of the 9^th.

The Lobos were able to get two runners on base including last year’s New Mexico High School Baseball Player of the Year Jered Meek (Carlsbad High School) who, in his first collegiate at bat, got his first hit. However, the Lobos failed to plate any runs resulting in a loss in their season opener. They will face the Cowboys in the second game of this three game series today at 2pm. Follow me on Twitter at @ChrisABQsports for game updates.

DJ Peterson paced the Lobos at the plate going 2-4 with an RBI.

Winning Pitcher: Brenden McCurry (1-0)

Losing Pitcher: Will Mathis (0-1)

Attendance: 1,385

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