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.

PROVO – BYU baseball will go on the road for week three to play a four-game series at New Mexico in Albuquerque from Feb. 27-29.

Game one will be Thursday at 3 p.m. MT. On Friday, a doubleheader will begin at noon MT; the two team's will then play a final game at noon MT on Saturday.

Game Notes

The Cougars are coming off a series with Cal Poly last week that saw BYU take three of four games from the Mustangs. BYU now has a record of 5-3 and is receiving votes in the latest NCBWA and Coaches polls.

Two of those three losses have come to the Lobos. Two weeks ago, BYU lost both games of a doubleheader to New Mexico in Surprise, Ariz., by scores of 2-0 and 5-4. 

This will be BYU’s first trip to Albuquerque since playing a three-game series as Mountain West Conference foes in 2010. New Mexico is currently 5-2 on the year after sweeping three most recently against Northern Colorado.

For the Cougars, freshman Andrew Pintar and sophomore Bryan Call lead the team with .286 batting averages. On the mound, BYU will start junior Justin Sterner (0-0, 0.75 ERA) on Thursday; Sterner has 14 strikeouts and just one earned run in 12 innings. Friday starters will be freshman Cy Nielson (0-1, 4.15) and senior Jarod Lessar (0-0, 1.93) while junior Easton Walker (0-1, 5.40) will start game four.

Another seven Cougar pitchers have thrown at least one inning without allowing an earned run, led by freshman Bryce Robison who has made three appearances and pitched 6.2 innings.