ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Holy Cross baseball team split a doubleheader against the University of New Mexico on Saturday, Feb. 26 at Santa Ana Star Field.

The Crusaders (1-6) held off a late rally by the Lobos (2-5) to earn a 7-5 victory in Game 1 before New Mexico stormed back to secure a walkoff victory in Game 2.

GAME ONE
Holy Cross 7, New Mexico 5

STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:
Mudd: W, 6.0 IP, two earned runs, five hits, five strikeouts
Wolf: 2-for-4, two RBI
Whinney: 2-for-4, home run
Baillargeon: 2-for-4, double, RBI
Kirkpatrick: 2-for-5, double, two runs scored
Petrushka: 2-for-4, RBI

New Mexico:
Landers: 2-for-3, double, two RBI
Ashby: 1-for-4, double, RBI

W: Mudd (1-1)
L: Russell (0-2)
S: Escoto (1)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Crusaders jumped ahead early with a three-run first inning. Sophomore shortstop Sam Kirkpatrick hit a leadoff single, and advanced to third after freshman third baseman Nick Wang reached on an error. Junior designated hitter Jordan Petrushka hit an RBI single to left, and senior first baseman Nate Wolf and freshman center fielder Connor Cooney followed with RBI singles to make it a 3-0 advantage.
• Freshman catcher Andrew Whinney hit a two-out solo home run to extend the Holy Cross advantage to 4-0 in the second.
• Freshman left-handed pitcher Tyler Mudd shut out the Lobos through his first six innings, while conceding just three hits in that span.
• In the meantime, the Crusaders built a 7-0 lead by the top of the seventh inning. Kirkpatrick reached on an error in the fifth and was brought home by a single to right from Wolf; in the sixth, freshman left fielder Chris Baillargeon led off with a single and came around to score after a flyout and two wild pitches. Baillargeon later hit a two-out RBI double in the seventh to make it a seven-run game.
• An RBI double and RBI groundout gave the Lobos two runs in the bottom of the seventh.
• New Mexico tacked on two more runs in the eighth after a wild pitch and an RBI single.
• In the bottom of the ninth, New Mexico loaded up the bases with two outs, and walked in a run to make it 7-5. Senior right-hander Nick Escoto, however, came in and secured a groundout to end the Lobos' rally.

GAME TWO
New Mexico 7, Holy Cross 6

STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross:
Wang: 2-for-5, double, two RBI
McElroy: 2-for-4, double, RBI
Kirkpatrick: 1-for-3, double, two runs scored, RBI

New Mexico:
Schneider: 2-for-4, two runs scored, two RBI
Ashby: 1-for-3, home run, two RBI

W: Loesch (1-0)
L: Escoto (0-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Lobos took an early 1-0 lead on an RBI groundout.
• The Crusaders used back-to-back groundouts to score a pair of runs and take a 2-1 edge in the third inning.
• New Mexico quickly tied things up in the bottom of the third, with Lenny Junior Ashby hitting a solo home run.
• After Baillargeon led off the fourth with a walk, sophomore right fielder Jake McElroy drove him home off a double to right field, giving the Crusaders a 3-2 edge.
• That lead grew to 4-2 in the fifth after Baillargeon had a single to center, scoring Wang.
• Holy Cross took a 6-2 advantage in the sixth when Mudd was hit by a pitch with two outs, and Kirkpatrick and Wang hit back-to-back RBI doubles.
• The Lobos began to chip away at the deficit in the seventh, using a two-run single to cut within 6-4. New Mexico then made it a one-run game in the eighth after a single to center.
• A bases-loaded walk tied things up for the Lobos in the bottom of the ninth, and Willie Cano delivered the game-winning RBI for the Lobos with a single to center field.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• Whinney's home run was the first hit of his collegiate career. He is the second Holy Cross player to hit a home run this season.
• Wolf extended his team-leading RBI total to seven on the season, while Wang's team-leading double total grew to five.
• Wang and Kirkpatrick have reached base in all seven games this season; Kirkpatrick is currently on a five-game hitting streak.

DUE UP:

• The Crusaders and Lobos round out the weekend series with a matinee matchup on Sunday, Feb. 27.
• First pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET at Santa Ana Star Field.