Utah Baseball Loses 9-8 Heartbreaker to New Mexico

Friday, May 28

Las Vegas, Nev.

11:00 AM

University of Utah

22-36

New Mexico

26-28-1

University of Utah

New Mexico

Utah Baseball Loses 9-8 Heartbreaker to New Mexico

5/28/2004 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

May 28, 2004

Box Score

LAS VEGAS - The Utah baseball team lost a 9-8 heartbreaker to New Mexico in day three of the Mountain West Conference Championship, bringing its season to an end. The Utes finish the 2004 season with a 22-36 record.

Senior Ben Buck (6-5) suffered the loss on the mound. He threw 1.2 innings, giving up two runs on four hits, while striking out two and walking three. Utah's starter, Clay Westmoreland, pitched seven innings, giving up seven runs on 10 hits. He walked one batter.

After a scoreless first, Utah took a 4-0 lead in the top of the second on five hits, started off by a solo homer by senior Jared Pena. Later in the inning, junior Tyson Olson hit an RBI double, his fourth of the tournament, tying a MWC Championship record for doubles in a tournament. Freshmen John Welsh and Jay Brossman both hit RBI-singles for the Utes' other two runs of the inning.

New Mexico came right back in the bottom of the inning with three runs on three hits. Then, in the bottom of the third, the Lobos took a 5-4 lead on a one-run double and an RBI-single.

Utah tied the game at five apiece in the top of the seventh when Matt Ciaramella was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, driving in a run.

The Utes took a 6-5 lead in the top of the eighth on the same scenario, as Ryan Khoury was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, driving in a run. Brossman then drove in a run on a fielder's choice and Ciaramella followed up with an RBI-single to give Utah an 8-5.

New Mexico led off the bottom of the eighth with back-to-back solo homers to make it an 8-7 ballgame.

After Utah was unable to score in the top of the ninth, New Mexico tied the game at eight apiece on a one-out, one-run double. After an intentional walk, Buck struck out a batter and walked another batter to load the bases. With two out, the Lobos' Jay Russell hit an RBI-single to win the game.

Welsh was 3-for-5 with two runs and one driven in, while Ciaramella was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Westfall went 2-for-4 with two runs and Olson was 2-for-5 with one run and one RBI as the other Utes with multi-hit games.