The University of New Mexico Baseball team and the Central Michigan Chippewas played to a six-run tie in the final game of a four-game series at Santa Ana Star Field on Sunday. The Chippewas had a plane to catch, so the teams agreed to end the game in a 6-6 draw after the Lobos failed to score in the bottom of the 10th.
Freshman centerfielder Brayden Merritt led the Lobos offensively, with two runs and a pair of RBI’s, including UNM’s first home run of the young season. Cody Dye pitched six strong innings of eight-hit baseball to earn the no-decision, with five strikeouts and four three walks.
It looked as though the Lobos were primed to sweep the four games series, as UNM owned a 5-3 lead heading into the eighth inning. Central Michigan would tie the game on an RBI single in the top of the frame by Daniel Robinson. Griffin Lockwood-Powell would put the Chippewas up by one run on a deep homer to right field off of Chad Smith in the top of the ninth inning.
The Lobos would tie the game in the bottom of the frame on a double by first baseman Derek Marshall. Marshall replaced Jeff Deimling at first base in the third inning after Deimling struck out in the second inning and committed his second error of the season.
Smith would pitch a scoreless tenth frame for the Lobos and Colton Bradley would follow suit for Central Michigan, as the two teams reached the predetermined stop time for the game. The Chippewas finished the game with six runs on 11 hits and two errors. The Lobos tallied six runs on eight hits, while also committing to errors in the contest.
The Lobos continue their seven-game homestand with a three-game series against Mountain West Conference foe Nevada starting on Friday night. Be sure to catch all of the exciting action on ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM.
