Lobo golfers still lead ASU Invite

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — With a chance at history on the line for UNM head coach Ray Birmingham, senior outfielder Luke Campbell and his teammates came through in a big way.

The Lobos (16-14, 8-3 Mountain West Conference) defeated Air Force (8-21, 2-7) 19-5 Saturday afternoon to give Birmingham his 1,000th career victory.

Birmingham has 53 wins at College of the Southwest in his hometown, 765 wins at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, and 182 at UNM. “It got emotional afterward. All the kids came and hugged me and told me they were proud to be part of it,” Birmingham said. “It’s a lot of wins and I got them all coaching in New Mexico. That’s the part I feel best about.”

Birmingham has earned his share in this series; he is 21-1 in his career against the Falcons.

Campbell, who finished 4-for-5 with a grand slam, three runs and six RBIs to pace the Lobos, said he was proud to be a part of his coach’s historic win.

The first-place Lobos seek their first sweep of the season today at noon.

TRACK AND FIELD: At the Don Kirby Invitational, the host UNM team competed as a complete team for the first time since the indoor league meet in February and notched 55 top-10 marks.

Among the UNM winners: Amber Menke in the women’s pole vault (13-feet, 1 1/2 inches), Lexi Ross in the javelin (142-5), Kendall Spencer in the long jump (25- 1/2), Ty Kirk (48-8 1/4) in the triple jump, Gabe Aragon in the 800 (1:51.60) and the 4×100 men’s relay team.

The New Mexico State women won both the 4×100 and 4×400 relays behind LaSasha Aldredge, who also won the 400. Ex-Lobo and Olympic bronze medalist Jarrin Soloman (45.70) won the 400 by nearly three seconds.

NMSU BASEBALL: In Las Cruces, Robert Lecount went 2-for-3 and drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning for the Aggies (18-14, 4-4 Western Athletic Conference) in a 7-5 win over Dallas Baptist (16-15, 4-4).

UNM, NMSU MEN’S GOLF: The No. 3 Lobos and the Aggies posted 2-over 286s on Saturday. But UNM retains the lead after two rounds of the ASU Thunderbird Invitational in Tempe, Ariz., and the Aggies are tied for eighth in the 18-team field.

With a two-round 6-under 562, UNM has a two-stroke lead over San Diego and Oregon State heading into today’s final round.

UNM sophomore Victor Perez followed his first-round 66 with a 2-over 73 and is tied for sixth at 3-under 139, seven strokes out of the lead. NMSU freshman Kenneth Fadke shot a 2-under par 69. He is 1-under par at 141 and tied for 13th.

UNM MEN’S SOCCER: In Phoenix, midfielder Michael Calderon scored all three goals in a 3-0 exhibition win over UC Riverside on Saturday.

UNM SOFTBALL: At Lobo Field, Lauren Soles pitched three scoreless innings to close as UNM (18-23, 2-3) held on for a 6-5 win over Boise State (16-19-1, 0-2).
— This article appeared on page D2 of the Albuquerque Journal