The Arizona baseball team was hoping to use yesterday’s nonconference game against New Mexico to get back on track.
However, the Wildcats (15-19, 3-6 Pacific 10 Conference) might have derailed even further after losing 13-3 to the Lobos (24-12) at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M.
After beating the Wildcats two games out of three in February, the Lobos have taken the season series against Arizona for the first time since 1994.
Freshman right-hander Cory Burns (0-2) suffered the loss after lasting only an inning and giving up three runs, three hits and three walks.
Although the Wildcats were able to get 11 hits off Lobo starter and ASU transfer Quentin Andes, a junior righty, they were largely unable to connect for a key base hit.
“”It really just didn’t seem like our team came out with a lot of energy,”” said freshman first baseman Brad Glenn, who went 3-for-4 on the day. “”They jumped on us really early. We tried to fight back, but we couldn’t get the big hits.””
Andes gave up two runs on 11 hits over eight innings while striking out five and walking one.
“”He was doing a good job of keeping us off balance,”” said sophomore third baseman Colt Sedbrook, who went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two doubles. “”The guy wasn’t throwing very hard. He was throwing about 86 (mph). And then he’d throw his changeup, and that was about 60 mph.
“”So that was definitely something that we haven’t seen in a long time compared to the harder throwing guys like you see in a usual Friday, Saturday, Sunday guy.””
Arizona used five pitchers on the day, a group that gave up 18 hits, while the Lobos used two pitchers. Despite scoring 13 runs, New Mexico left 17 runners on base while Arizona stranded nine.
After being down 5-0 after four innings, Arizona got on the board thanks to a solo home run by Glenn to cut the lead to 5-1. He is now tied with freshman outfielder Jon Gaston with a team-leading five home runs on the season.
The Wildcats would not get any closer than that, as the Lobos added five runs in the sixth inning.
With only five weekends left of Pacific 10 Conference play, Arizona has a crucial homestand this weekend against perennial Pac-10 powerhouse Stanford, which starts on Friday at 7 p.m.
“”We definitely have to pick ourselves up now, especially against Stanford, against the Mecca,”” Sedbrook said.
Arizona is still looking to string together a couple of conference wins in order to at least get to a .500 conference record, which would require a weekend sweep, as the Wildcats rank eighth in the nine-team race.
“”We haven’t really been playing with much momentum this whole year, so nothing is squashed,”” freshman center fielder T.J. Steele said. “”I think that it will just take one game and it will all click.””
