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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—After the game was pushed back nearly seven hours due to the eight inches of snow that covered Lobo Filed, the Dons looked primed to pick up their first win of the year after a late-inning home run from Brendan Hendriks but New Mexico scored twice in the ninth and handed USF the 3-2 loss on Saturday night.
 
The Dons had a long wait before they were able to play on Saturday. Their game against New Mexico was originally scheduled for 10 a.m. and it was to be followed by a game against Utah Valley but staff, players, and coaches spent the bulk of the morning removing a blanket of snow from the field, which pushed the first game to 5 p.m. PT and postponed the second.
 
Once the game started, the Dons were in business in the first when they got hits from Connor Hofmann and Atkinson to set up runners at the corners and one down for Hendriks but the USF cleanup hitter bounded into the 4-6-3 double play to end the frame.
 
New Mexico got on the board in the third when, with two on and two out, Chris DeVito singled through the right side to bring home one and give the Lobos a 1-0 lead. Dons starter Christian Cecilio settled down and retired 13 of his final 16 batters.
 
Already with a 1-0 lead in the sixth, New Mexico added another on an RBI single to take a two-run lead.
 
But the Dons answered in their next at bat. Nico Giarratano singled and Derek Atkinson reached base on a fielder's choice, which brought up Brendan Hendriks. After missing on an opportunity earlier in the game, the senior first baseman jumped on the chance in the seventh as he hit a three-run home run to right and gave USF the 3-2 lead.
 
New Mexico got a runner aboard in the seventh but Cecilio shut the door and got out of the inning unscathed. He went seven innings and gave up two runs on six hits with five strikeouts.
 
Matt Narahara came in to relieve Cecilio and he got the Lobos in order in the eighth but, in the ninth, he ran into trouble.
 
New Mexico got a lead-off double from Luis Gonzalez and a sacrifice bunt moved him over to third with one down. He scored two batters later on a throwing error by Narahara to tie the game and gave New Mexico runners at second and third with one down.
 
After issuing an intentional walk to set up a force at any base, Dan Collier hit a sharp groundball to second and junior Michael Eaton threw home but it was too late to get the runner, handing New Mexico the 4-3 win.
 
San Francisco will wrap up the Lobo Classic by playing Utah Valley on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. PT.
 
NOTES
Christian Cecilio has now gone at least seven innings in four of his last five outings and seven of his last nine, dating back to last season.