The University of New Mexico baseball team closed out their final home series with a 3-2 victory over the UNLV Rebels on Sunday afternoon, capping off an emotional three week for the program.
On Saturday, the team and fans at Santa Ana Star Field paid respect to fallen player Jackson Weller before the game. Weller was murdered outside a Nob Hill bar the previous Saturday morning by Darian Bashir. After a brief search by APD, Bashir was apprehended later in the week without incident at a Northeast Heights apartment complex.
The team said goodbye to a group of six seniors playing in their final home game as a Lobo, including Hayden Schilling, Jared Mang, and Malachi Emond. Mang went 1-for-3 with a run scored, and Emond closed out the game to give the Lobos the win.
Nathaniel Garley pitched six scoreless innings before allowing two earned runs in the top of the seventh inning. The 6-3. 221 pound native of Albuquerque allowed four hits, with four strikeouts and four walks on the afternoon.
Tanner Baker and Ediberto Reyes each lead the team with two hits, while DH Jeff Deimling drove in two runs in the sixth inning in what proved to be the game-winning hit.
The victory was the 1200th colligate win for head coach Ray Birmingham, an impressive milestone for the veteran manager.
UNM closes out the regular season next weekend with a three-game series against San Diego State before heading to Reno for the Mountain West Conference Tournament starting on May 22nd.