Utah Baseball Takes Series Opener From Lobos

Thursday, April 19

Franklin Covey Field

6:00 PM

University of Utah

17-20, 6-4

New Mexico

17-22, 6-7

NEW MEXICO

Utah Utes

4/19/2007 12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 19, 2007

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY - The University of Utah baseball team scored early and often against New Mexico Thursday night in the first game of a three-game Mountain West Conference series. The Utes rolled to a 13-4 win over the Lobos at Franklin Covey Field.

Utah (17-20, 6-4 MWC) tallied a single run off Lobo starter Ryan Escarcega in the first to go up 1-0. Right fielder John Welsh singled to plate Jay Brossman with the game's first run. New Mexico (17-22, 6-7 MWC) put two runs on the board against Ute starter Kerr Foster in the top of the second to go up 2-1.

But the Lobos' lead was short-lived. Utah beat up Escarcega in the bottom of the frame, putting a five-spot up to go up 6-2. Welsh picked up two more RBIs on a double to left-center in the second inning. The Spanish Fork High School product finished with six RBIs on the night.

New Mexico recorded single tallies in the third and fourth to pull within two runs, 6-4. In the top of the fourth, Ute reliever Stephen Fife came on in relief of Foster with two outs and runners at second and third. He struck out Lobo first baseman and cleanup hitter Daniel Stovall looking to end the threat.

From there, Fife had little trouble with the top run-scoring team in the MWC. Fife hung five straight zeroes on the board from the fifth through the ninth. Even when he got himself into trouble, he worked his way out of it. In the fifth, Fife allowed a leadoff walk, then struck a batter out. He allowed a one-out single and then notched another strikeout. New Mexico loaded the bases with another walk, but -- true to form, -- Fife struck the out the final batter in the inning to end the threat.

While Fife was holding the Lobos scoreless, the Utah offense methodically pulled away. The Utes added three runs in the bottom of the fourth to go up 9-4. Left fielder Dustin Hennis had the big blow, blasting a two-run double off the base of the wall in right-center. Utah scored single runs in the fifth and sixth to go up 11-4. A pair of runs in the seventh accounted for the final tally.

Fife (4-1) worked 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to pick up the victory. He gave up just two hits, while walking four and striking out five. Escarcega (0-2) suffered the loss for New Mexico. He allowed eight runs on six hits and three walks.

Welsh was 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in six runs to pace the Utah offense. Brossman was also 3-for-3, scoring four runs and driving in a pair. Hennis finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBIs. He was also hit by pitches twice.

Utah and New Mexico play game two of the series Friday night, with first pitch slated for 6 p.m.

-UU-