UNM beach volleyball sweeps, Aggie baseball rolls

The University of New Mexico beach volleyball team closed out its 2017 season with a doubleheader sweep of Air Force on Saturday, defeating the Falcons 5-0 in backto-back matches at Lucky 66 Bowl in Albuquerque.

The Lobos (17-10) capped their third season of beach volleyball winners of three straight and 10 of their last 11 matches, and sent their seniors out on a high note as they grounded Air Force on a picturesque spring day.

“It was a really nice day, the weather couldn’t have been better,” New Mexico coach Jeff Nelson said. “The stands were full again, it was absolutely perfect. … Every senior got a win on their last day.”

Behind seniors Devanne Sours, Lise Rugland, Marisa Doran and Julia Warren, the Lobos tied the program record for most wins a season (17).

BASEBALL: In Las Cruces, senior Dan Hetzel hit his 10th homer of the season and drove in three runs, leading New Mexico State’s 14-hit attack in a 7-4 Western Athletic Conference win over Northern Colorado (15-21). The Aggies (25-15), who won 10-3 on Friday night, go for the series sweep today at noon.

Jonothan Groff allowed three runs over six innings for NMSU. Ruger Rodriguez struck out the side to get the save in the ninth inning, though Northern Colorado got two hits and sent the tying run to the plate.

SOFTBALL: In Logan, Utah, the Lobos hit four home runs in a 9-5 win over the Utah State Aggies.

UNM (20-19, 6-8 MWC) has a pair of homers from D’Andra DeFlora, who had five RBIs, and one each from Chelsea Johnson and Michaela Erickson.

The two teams play the rubber match today.

... In Bakersfield, Calif., New Mexico State split a doubleheader with CSU-Bakersfield.

The Aggies (22-20, 10-2 WAC) lost the opener 7-4 and won the second game 13-3.

MEN’S GOLF: In Tucson, Colorado State used a second-round best score of 8-under par 280 to vault itself into the team lead at the Mountain West Conference men’s championships.

The Rams are 13-under par 563. UNM, at 1-under 575, is in fifth. The top Lobo, Andrej Bevins, shot par-72 Saturday and is six strokes out of Boise State freshman Brian Humphreys’ lead (9-under 135). The final round is today.

WOMEN’S TENNIS: Down 3-2 and down a set in both final matches, Rachana Bhat and Cassie Chung both roared back to defeat Air Force in Colorado Springs 4-3 on Saturday.

Winners of six of their last eight, the Lobos (7-13, 4-1) have a shot at a No. 5 seed in the upcoming league tournament, which would avoid an opening-round match.

MEN’S TENNIS: UNM won at Air Force, 4-1, for the team’s final regular season match.

The Lobos (12-12, 4-3 MWC) took the double point then got singles wins from Ricky Hernandez-Tong, Bart Van Leijsen and Rodolfo Jauregui.

UNM starts MWC Tournament play Friday at Boise State.