April 19, 2008
Albuquerque Journal
Double In 12th Propels UNM
How's that for a little razzle- dazzle?
Brian Cavazos-Galvez went 5-for-6, including a game-tying homer, and Rafael Neda slapped a game-winning two-out double as the University of New Mexico baseball team rallied to edge Utah 5-4 in 12 innings Friday night.
The Lobos (25-14 overall, 9-4 Mountain West Conference) trailed 4-0 early but eventually gave a crowd of 1,504 something to cheer about at Isotopes Park.
Unfortunately, many of the 500 Razzle Dazzle youth cheer squad members went home after their seventh-inning performance and before New Mexico's late heroics. Still, the fans who stuck around got their money's worth.
"I think the crowd really helped us focus and stay in every inning," Neda said. "We really wanted to win tonight, whatever we had to do."
UNM pitchers did their part, as Utah didn't score for the final 10 innings. Reliever Clinton Cox (2-0) worked 3 1/3 scoreless frames for the win.
But no one did more than Cavazos-Galvez, who made two stellar catches in right field and threw out a runner at third base in addition to his five hits. The Manzano High grad has six homers in the last week, but none bigger than the solo shot that tied Friday's game in the eighth.
"I was sitting on a curveball in that spot," Cavazos-Galvez said. "Definitely, I was looking for something to drive and I got my pitch."
In addition to scores of cheerleaders, Friday's crowd included more than a dozen major league scouts. Many were pointing radar guns toward Lobo lefty starter Bobby LaFromboise, who proceeded to get off to a shaky start.
LaFromboise gave up a single and three walks in the first inning, the last of which forced in a run for a 1-0 Utah lead. Things got worse in the second when the Utes' D.C. Legg, yes, legged out a bunt hit. Corey Shimada followed with a bloop single, and Cody Guymon smacked a three-run homer to left.
Guymon's homer came one pitch after his foul pop-up was dropped near the screen. Utah led 4-0.
LaFromboise then settled in to pitch well, shutting out the Utes for the next six innings.
For the most part, UNM's offense was equally quiet against Utah starter Stephen Fife. The Lobos' only real rally came in the bottom of the second, when Cavazos-Galvez singled and Kevin Atkinson lined a two-run homer to left-center. Neda followed with a triple to right-center and scored on an error to make the score 4-3.
"That rally in the second was real big," Cavazos-Galvez said. "Utah got the momentum with four runs, but we got it back by scoring three."
It stayed 4-3 until the bottom of the eighth, when Cavazos-Galvez hammered his solo homer over the bullpen to tie it.
After UNM left the bases loaded in the ninth, Neda sent a drive to the wall that was caught at the fence in the 10th.
"I thought it was gone," the freshman catcher said. "When they caught it, I said, 'If I get another chance, I'll get it done.' ''
With Atkinson running from first base on a 1-2 pitch with two outs in the 12th, Neda did just that, slapping the winning double down the left-field line.
NOTES: The Lobos will hold their annual Pack the Park promotion for today's game against Utah. All tickets will be sold for $2.
Today
Utah at New Mexico, noon, Isotopes Park