Utah Baseball Takes 11-9 Win, Series From Lobos

Sunday, March 25

Albuquerque, N.M.

1:00 PM

University of Utah

9-15, 0

New Mexico

12-17, 0

Utah Utes

NEW MEXICO

Utah Baseball Takes 11-9 Win, Series From Lobos

3/25/2007 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 25, 2007

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The University of Utah baseball team scored early and often against New Mexico Sunday at Isotopes Park. Ten runs in the first four innings gave the Utes a big early lead. Utah then held on for an 11-9 win over the Lobos.

Utah (9-15, 2-1 MWC) won its third consecutive series and took a series win in its first Mountain West Conference set of the season.

The Utes put two runs on the board in each of the first three innings, jumping on top 6-0. Right fielder John Welsh and designated hitter Bret Baldwin each tallied run-scoring singles in the first inning. Second baseman Corey Shimada drove home a run with a triple in the second inning, followed by an RBI single off the bat of first baseman Jay Brossman. A two-out double from Baldwin started things in the third. After catcher Cody Guymon was hit by a pitch, shortstop Mike Mitchell plated Baldwin and Guymon with a single.

Utah starting pitcher Brad DeVore held New Mexico (12-17, 1-2 MWC) off the scoreboard for the first two innings, but ran into trouble in the third. The Lobos knocked DeVore out with three hits and two walks. Chad Cullers took over for DeVore and was able to get out of the inning, but New Mexico scored four times by the end of frame to pull within two runs, 6-4.

The Utes continued to pound the Lobo hurlers in the fourth, tallying four runs. Utah scored all four runs with two outs in a wild inning. Guymon drove home Dustin Hennis and Welsh with a single. Baldwin scored on an interference call. Guymon later scored when third baseman Erich Kemp reached on an error. The four-run frame put Utah on top 10-4.

New Mexico tallied a single run in the sixth to cut its deficit in half. Brossman got the run back for Utah in the seventh with a solo home run to left. It was Brossman's third home run of the series and his eighth of the season. The round-tripper put Utah on top 11-5.

New Mexico tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the seventh. The Lobos scored three runs off Ute reliever Greg Krause in one-third of an inning. But John James came out of the bullpen and allowed jut one more run before getting out of the jam and maintaining Utah's lead, 11-9. James tossed a scoreless eighth and Brett Bruneel pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his second save of the season for the Utes.

Baldwin led the Utah offense, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI. Brossman was 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs. Cullers (2-4) got the win for Utah after tossing four innings of relief and allowing just one run.

Utah is in action again Tuesday. The Utes are slated to host Utah Valley in a 2 p.m. tilt.

-UU-