April 16, 2008
Albuquerque Journal
Light-Hitting Catcher Helps UA Slam Lobos
By Ken Sickenger, Journal Staff WriterOne unlikely swing of the bat proved too much for the University of New Mexico baseball team to overcome Tuesday night.
Light-hitting catcher Dwight Childs belted a sixth-inning grand slam that proved to be the difference in Arizona's 10-6 victory over the Lobos at Isotopes Park.
It was the first career home run for Childs, a sophomore who came into the at-bat hitting .161 for the season.
"He surprised us," New Mexico coach Ray Birmingham said. "We were thinking, 'Don't want to walk this guy. Maybe we can get a double play.' But he really walked into one there."
UNM (24-13) held a 4-2 lead over the nationally-ranked Wildcats (21-11) after five innings. Lobo starter John Hesketh had worked out of several jams and allowed only two solo home runs.
The home team, meanwhile, managed just four hits off Arizona starter Mike Colla but made them count. After a walk and a two-out error, Drew McDonald smacked a two-run triple to right field in the bottom of the fourth. McDonald later scored on a wild pitch, and Dane Hamilton's RBI single in the fifth gave UNM its 4-2 lead.
"We were in the ballgame," Birmingham said. "I thought (Hesketh) competed the best he possibly could."
Things quickly unraveled in the sixth, however. Brad Glenn and Dillon Baird opened with singles off Hesketh, who then walked T.J. Steele to load the bases.
Right-hander Brandon Hewett relieved Hesketh and immediately walked Jon Gaston to force in a run. Hewett's first pitch to Childs then landed in the Arizona bullpen beyond left field, giving the Wildcats a 7-4 lead.
"This game was all about pitching," Birmingham said, "and our bullpen let us down a little bit."
Birmingham pointed out the consistent velocity difference between Arizona's three pitchers Tuesday and the three employed by UNM. While the Lobos typically hit the mid- to high-80s with pitches, the Wildcats were more often between 88 and 95 mph.
"The difference today was about 15 miles per hour," Birmingham said. "Those are the kind of arms we need to start getting at New Mexico."
McDonald was 2-for-4 with three RBI to pace UNM, whose four-game winning streak was snapped. Gaston finished 2-for-3 and drove in three runs for Arizona, which won its sixth straight game.
Despite the loss, Birmingham was upbeat about his team's effort against a Wildcats squad that was ranked No. 1 earlier this season. Arizona is currently No. 22 in three national polls.
"They were No. 1 in the country and have been a top program for 30 years," he said, "but we saw tonight we can catch those rascals."
Today
Arizona at New Mexico, noon, Isotopes Park