Comeback Effort Comes Up Short

ALBUQUERQUE – BYU baseball came back from six runs down but a New Mexico walk-off single gave the Lobos the 8-7 victory on Thursday. 

Box Score

Game Summary

• The Cougars scored six runs in the seventh inning alone to tie the game
• Down one, BYU scored another run in the ninth to again tie the Lobos
• New Mexico hit a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to win

Player Highlights

• Hobbs Nyberg: 3-5, 2B, 3B, R, 2 RBI
• Joshua Cowden: 2-3, R, RBI
• Andrew Pintar: 1-4, R, BB, RBI

Four runs in the fourth on six singles and then a run apiece in the fifth and sixth innings appeared to have New Mexico running away with the game. But in the top of the seventh, Jaren Hall hit a single in his first at bat of the season before Joshua Cowden added a base hit as well.

After Peyton Cole reached first to load the bases, the Cougars finally scored on a walk by Andrew Pintar, then added two more with a double from Hobbs Nyberg. Hayden Leatham brought in a another run and reached safely on a error, then Mitch McIntyre hit an RBI-single. After Cutter Clawson drew a walk, Hall again came to the plate and scored Leatham on a groundout to short to tie the game, 6-6.

The Lobos answered right back, scoring a run on three-straight singles. BYU then had a chance to tie or take the lead in the eighth with runners on the corners off a Bryan Call walk and the first hit of the year by Cole to put runners on the corners with no outs. But the Lobos got out of the jam without allowing a run thanks to three strikeouts.

The Cougar batters continued to fight in the final inning with Clawson hitting a lead-off single. Pitcher Ben Weese came in as a pinch runner, stealing second and then scoring when Cowden dropped a single to center field. 

But in the bottom of the ninth and the bases loaded with two outs after a single and two intentional walks, an infield single scored the Lobo runner from third to win it for New Mexico.

Nyberg finished a home run short of hitting for the cycle, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run. Cowden went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. On the mound, starter Justin Sterner went five innings and allowed 10 hits and five runs with five strikeouts. Coming on in the ninth, Reid McLaughlin took the loss to go to 2-1 on the year.

BYU and New Mexico will next play a doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 28, starting at noon MT in the second and third games of a four-game series.