April 29, 2000

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE - New Mexico defeated the UNLV baseball team 12-4 on Saturday afternoon in Mountain West Conference play at Lobo Field. The first place Lobos improved to 30-16 overall and 18-5 in the MWC. UNLV dropped to 17-29 overall and 7-14 in MWC (fifth place).

For the second straight game, the Lobos received a complete-game performance. Senior left-hander Mike Albers worked out of trouble over the first two innings to improve his record to 8-2. He had a total of 157 pitches and allowed 10 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), walked 5 and struck out 8. UNLV stranded 11 runners on base and had numerous opportunities to score.

Freshman left-hander Giovanni Pupo suffered the loss (1-7) and tossed 7.2 innings. He allowed 12 hits, 12 runs (8 earned), walked 3 and struck out 3. UNLV took its only lead of the game with a two-run home run to left field in the fourth inning by freshman third baseman Zach Strong.

New Mexico, trailing 2-0, scored 7 runs (4 unearned) in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 7-2 lead. The key hits of the inning were a two-run double by designated hitter Scott Candelaria and a two-run triple by center fielder Mark Okano, who was 3-for-4.

UNLV scored two runs in the sixth inning to cut the deficit to 7-4.

The Lobos then scored single runs in the sixth, seventh and three runs in the eighth inning, on a three-run home run to left field by first baseman Dee Dennis, who was 2-for-4 with 4 RBI, to increase their lead to 12-4.

Junior right fielder Michael Ford led UNLV with a 3-for-5 performance and senior left fielder Denny Seybert was 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored and was hit by a pitch twice.

New Mexico will go for the sweep as the MWC series will conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m. (MDT). The game will be broadcast on KSHP AM-1400 on a tape delay basis at 5 p.m. (PDT) with Scott Robbs calling the action.