Box Score March 13, 2015 Final Stats
Box Score
Season Statistics
RENO, Nev. - The Nevada baseball team's undefeated record at Peccole Park came to an end as New Mexico topped the No. 28 Wolf Pack, 3-1, Friday afternoon. Junior Ryan Howell hit his seventh home run of the season but Nevada (13-4, 5-2) was held to four hits in a pitcher's duel.
Nevada falls to 7-1 at home while losing back-to-back games for the first time this season. The Wolf Pack and Lobos (11-4, 5-2) are now tied atop Mountain West standings with 5-2 conference records.
The Wolf Pack ran into another stellar performance from an opposing pitcher. New Mexico's junior LHP Toller Boardman allowed four hits and one run in 8.1 innings to remain perfect (4-0). Nevada's junior LHP Cameron Rowland allowed six hits and three runs in his longest outing of the season, but the Pack's bats couldn't push Nevada in front.
"Good job by Boardman - he made it tough on us today," said head coach Jay Johnson. "We gave them a couple free bases and they took advantage, and that's what good teams do."
Nevada took the lead in the bottom of the second inning on Howell' solo home run over the left field wall. The Brentwood, Calif., native entered the game tied with nine other student-athletes for the NCAA lead in home runs. The 6-foot-2 second baseman now has seven homers on the season.
The Lobos responded with two runs in the top of the third to take the lead. After consecutive walks, freshman catcher Corey Voss doubled off the center field wall to tie the game. Freshman Luis Gonzalez hit an RBI single to notch the go-ahead run.
Both teams were held scoreless through the fourth, fifth and sixth innings until New Mexico plated an insurance run in the top of the seventh. With two outs following a double play, Voss hit his first home run of the season to put the Lobos in front, 3-1.
Rowland, a 6-foot-1 lefty from Pleasanton, Calif., performed admirably to keep Nevada in contention. Rowland pitched into the seventh inning, allowing three runs on six hits with seven walks and three strikeouts. Sophomore RHP Evan McMahan pitched 2.1 scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit while lowering his ERA to 1.86.
Nevada left two runners on base in the seventh and went down 1-2-3 in the eighth. In the bottom of the ninth, senior Kewby Meyer hit a one-out single to right, center before a double play ended the game.
Meyer, Howell, senior Austin Byler and junior Bryce Greager each led Nevada with one hit. Byler's fourth inning single extended his reached base streak to 24 games, which ranks sixth nationally. Boardman earned the win for the Lobos, while senior RHP Jake Cole earned the save.
Game two between the Wolf Pack and Lobos is set for a 1 p.m. PT first pitch Saturday at Peccole Park.
