Feb. 23, 2008
Albuquerque Journal
Birmingham, Lobos Open Year With Rout
By Ken Sickenger, Journal Staff WriterDon't tell Ray Birmingham that a win's a win.
The University of New Mexico baseball team opened its season with a 16-7 rout of Eastern Michigan at Isotopes Park on Friday.
Birmingham, the first-year Lobos coach, had three words to describe it. "Not good enough."
Shortly after pounding out 18 hits and scoring in every inning but one, the Lobos were aired out in the postgame locker room. Birmingham wasn't at all satisfied with the seven runs and nine walks his team allowed.
"Walks make me mad," he said. "The runs (the Eagles) got were because of command and not going after hitters. We're not gonna have that here."
UNM's pitching was not in midseason form, including starter Bobby LaFromboise who walked four batters in the first inning before settling in. He allowed a soft single by Steve Bradshaw and a bases-loaded walk to Andrew Marshall and the Lobos were in an immediate 2-0 hole.
Birmingham, who coached 18 seasons at New Mexico Junior College before coming to UNM, is best known for his teams' offensive production. On Friday, that trend continued.
The Lobos wasted no time recovering two runs and more. The first five to the plate got hits, including a two-run single by Matt Hibbitts and a three-run homer by catcher Drew McDonald that gave the home team a 5-2 lead.
It was just the beginning of a big day for McDonald, who added a triple and a two-run double in his next two at-bats. He was unable to complete the cycle, popping up and striking out his final two plate appearances.
"Obviously, I was looking to do it," McDonald said, "but I wasn't focused on it. I don't think I'd ever even had a stand-up triple before."
Mike Brownstein added four hits for the Lobos, who gradually built a 14-3 lead in front of 420 hearty fans. Many were standing on the concourse as a cool day gradually turned cold and rainy.
LaFromboise, the first of six Lobo pitchers, recovered from his 43-pitch first inning to get the win. He allowed just one run, a solo homer by Marshall, over the next three innings.
Will Kerr, Brian Hill and Brandon Hewett followed with solid relief to get UNM through the eighth. Adam Kramer struggled in the ninth, however, allowing three runs on a homer, triple and two walks before Clinton Cox came on for the final three outs.
The shaky finish didn't suit Birmingham.
"We're not gonna be passive and try to get too cute," he said. "Eastern Michigan's a good team, but the idea is to get 'em down and get 'em gone. We didn't do that today."
McDonald only smiled when asked about the postgame meeting.
"We could've done better," he said. "It's a whole new era around here."
Max Willett, Kevin Atkinson, Hibbitts, Rafael Neda and Scott Gracey had two hits apiece for the Lobos.
Today
Eastern Michigan at New Mexico, doubleheader, noon, at Isotopes Park