Feb. 7, 2005
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NEXT IN LOBO BASEBALL
New Mexico (0-3) at Texas Tech (0-0)
TUESDAY, FEB. 8 — 2 P.M. MT — LUBBOCK, TEXAS — DAN LAW FIELD (5,050)
MEDIA COVERAGE:
RADIO: A radio broadcast is available for purchase at TexasTech.com. Please check website for more details.
LIVE STATS: Gametracker will be available at TexasTech.com and GoLobos.com. Look for the upcoming events box on the front page of the site, scroll down to baseball, and click on Gametracker for Texas Tech game.
SERIES INFORMATION: Texas Tech leads, 44-30-1. The Lobos and Red Raiders split the two-game home-and-home series last year. UNM is 14-31 all-time in Lubbock.
PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUP:
UNM: #4 Fr. LH Bobby Moore (0-0, 18.00 ERA, 1.0 IP, 1 K)vs.TXT: #19 Jr. RH Adam Lawford (Transfer from Grossmont CC)
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The New Mexico baseball team returns to the road for a single game Tuesday, Feb. 8 at Texas Tech beginning at 2 p.m. MT. The Lobos are looking for their first win of the season after getting swept at No. 12 Arizona in Tucson last weekend. The game is Texas Tech’s season opener.
Live stats of the game will be available via Gametracker at TexasTech.com. There will also be a live broadcast of the game available for purchase at TexasTech.com.
After facing Texas Tech, New Mexico hosts intrastate rival New Mexico State for a three-game series at Isotopes Park. The home opener is set for Friday, Feb. 11 at 6 p.m.
HISTORY LESSON – LOBOS-RED RAIDERS 101: The Lobos and Red Raiders are long-standing rivals dating back to 1962. Texas Tech has an edge in the all-time series, 44-30-1, and lead UNM in Lubbock, 31-14. Coach Alday is 11-30 vs. Texas Tech, 4-20 at Dan Law Field. New Mexico travels to Lubbock two more times this season for single games (April 26; May 3).
UNM defeated the Red Raiders in Isotopes Park last season, 4-1, on March 16. Tech returned the favor with a 10-1 victory at Dan Law Field on April 27.
New Mexico’s last victory in Lubbock arrived on Feb. 2, 2003, as UNM topped Tech 9-6 in game three of a season-opening series. The Raiders have won six of the last 10 games in the series.
NOTES FROM THE ARIZONA SERIES
No. 12 Arizona took care of business last weekend, sweeping New Mexico, 9-0, 14-5, and 15-6
Wildcat junior John Meloan allowed just one hit in 7.2 innings of action in the opener, striking out a career-high 12 batters…he didn’t allow a hit until Ryan Barba lashed a single with two outs in the top of the eighth inning…for his efforts, he was named the National Collegiate Pitcher of the Week.
Arizona was equally as dominant on Saturday, as the staff fanned 18 Lobos…for the series, UNM struck out 42 times.
The Wildcats scored 38 hits and collected 49 hits in the series as they extended their winning streak to 22 games over the Lobos.
Garrick Haymore led the Lobos at the plate, going 3-for-7 with two doubles and two runs.
In his first career start, freshman Ian Hollick went 2-for-4 with two RBI in Sunday’s finale.
The Lobos only hit .173 in the series with 11 runs and 17 hits…the defense committed five errors and allowed eight unearned runs.
The two teams meet again for a single game April 19 at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS (0-0)
Texas Tech returns only 10 letterwinners from last season’s team that went 40-21 (17-9 Big 12; third place) and advanced to the NCAA Regionals.
Heading the list of returning players is preseason All-American senior shortstop Cameron Blair, who hit .371 with 14 homers and 81 RBI last season.
In its college preview issue, Baseball America picked the Raiders to finish eighth in the Big 12.
Tuesday’s contest is the season opener for Texas Tech. The Lobos and Red Raiders will meet two more times this season in Lubbock (April 26; May 3).
HEAD COACH: Larry Hays. Overall record: 1,390-752-3 (35th year). Record at Texas Tech: 695-371-2 (19th year).
SERIES NOTES:
Texas Tech leads, 44-30-1.Streak: Texas Tech - 1 gameCoach Alday vs. Texas Tech: 11-30; in Lubbock: 4-20Last UNM win: New Mexico 4, Texas Tech 1 (March 16, 2004 @ Isotopes Park)Last TXT win: Texas Tech 10, New Mexico 1 (April 27, 2004 @ Lubbock)Last UNM series win: 1993 in Albuquerque (Two out of three)Last UNM season-series win: 1993 (Two out of three)Last TXT series win: 2003 in Lubbock (Two out of three)Last TXT season-series win: 2002 (Three out of four)
LOBOS VS. TEXAS TECH: Several Lobos have seen action against Texas Tech…A.J. Spitaleri is the best UNM hitter against Tech, batting .500 (7-for-14) with four RBI and two runs in four games.
GET OUT THOSE BINOCULARS – LOBOS TO WATCH:
Sophomore first baseman Daniel Stovall is looking to top his sensational freshman campaign that landed him spots on the Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America and All-Mountain West teams. Prior to this season, he was one of 58 players named to the Wallace Watch Award list, which is given out to college baseball’s top player. He was also named Baseball America’s preseason Mountain West Player of the Year. Stovall hit .347 with 12 homers, 14 doubles and 34 RBI last year.
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Senior Garrick Haymore went 3-for-7 with two doubles and two runs scored in the Arizona series, good for a .429 batting average. The Sierra Vista, Ariz., will split time in left field with Chris Carlson and Brandon Bingham this season.
DON’T LEAVE FOR THE BALLPARK WITHOUT THEM – CAN’T MISS NOTES:
Arizona swept the Lobos in the season-opening series Feb. 4-6 at Tucson. Prior to that series, the last time the Lobos were swept was March 12-14, 2004 at TCU. The next game? UNM defeated Texas Tech, 4-1, March 16 at Isotopes Park. The Lobos will look to repeat that feat on Tuesday.
New Mexico will play teams that posted a winning record in 2004 in 19 of their first 20 games of the 2005 season. After playing at Arizona, who reached the College World Series last season, the Lobos will travel to Texas Tech (40-21; NCAA Regionals). UNM then hosts New Mexico State (33-25-1) and Texas State (32-26) before playing in the Rice Tournament (Nebraska – 36-23; Western Carolina – 28-31; Rice – 46-14). The Lobos host Northern Colorado (29-23) and New Mexico Highlands (30-26) before starting the conference season.
COMPLETE ARIZONA RECAP
GAME ONE
On Opening Day Friday, Feb. 4, the Lobos lost to Arizona, 9-0. Junior right-hander John Meloan struck out 12 batters and threw a one-hitter in 7.2 innings of action in picking up the win for the Wildcats.
Meloan, who went a perfect 10-0 as a sophomore, was equally as dominating in his first appearance as a junior. He didn’t allow a hit until junior shortstop Ryan Barba delivered a single to right field with two outs in the top of the eighth inning. Meloan exited the game after Barba’s single. Nine of Meloan’s 12 strikeouts were looking, and he also walked three batters.
After Meloan departed, Sean Jarrett tossed 1.1 innings of perfect relief for Arizona.
While the Lobo bats were cooled off all game long, Arizona got started early with two runs in the first. U of A added a run in the third on a Jason Donald RBI triple to right field, and plated two more in the fourth to go up 5-0.
Jason Fernandez was relieved in the sixth after allowing five runs, all earned, on nine hits, three walks and two strikeouts. Senior Javier Lopez, a transfer from Arizona State University, pitched one inning of scoreless relief in his Lobo debut. Two other newcomers, Bobby Moore and Jesse Garcia-Perez, also made their UNM debuts with relief appearances.
GAME TWO
UNM collected 11 hits, but 12th-ranked Arizona proved to be too much as the Wildcats topped the Lobos, 14-5, in game two of the series Saturday afternoon.
A day after only getting one hit in the series opener on Friday, the Lobo offense showed life on Saturday, quickly building a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Daniel Stovall led off the inning with a single, and advanced to third on a Garrick Haymore double. Freshman Jordan Pacheco nailed a single to drive in Stovall on the next play, giving the rookie his first career RBI. Haymore later scored on a double steal that put Pacheco on second.
Senior Kevin Letz |
Arizona rebounded in the second and tied the game on Nick Hundley’s two-run homer in the bottom of the inning. The Wildcats scored two more in the fourth to go up 4-2.
UNM tied the game in the sixth as Chris Dabbs slammed a two-run homer down the left-field line.
U of A bounced back once again, however, and plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth on a solo homer by Hundley – his second of the game – and a two-run single by Jordan Brown. Hundley went 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs in the game. The Wildcats chased UNM starter Karsten Gaarder in the sixth. Gaarder tossed 5.2 innings, allowing eight hits and seven runs, six earned, in taking the loss.
Arizona broke the game open with seven runs on six hits in the bottom of the seventh, although five of the runs were unearned. The Wildcats produced 17 hits in the contest.
GAME THREE
The No. 12 Arizona Wildcats completed a three-game sweep of the New Mexico baseball team with a 15-6 victory in the series finale Sunday afternoon.
The Wildcat offense was potent was once again, collecting 19 hits and hitting three homers for the afternoon. Arizona, who reached the College World Series last season and is predicted for a top-tier finish in the competitive Pac-10 Conference, scored 38 runs in the series and extended its winning streak to 22 games over New Mexico.
Freshman third baseman Ian Hollick went 2-for-4 with two RBI in his first career start and sophomore first baseman Daniel Stovall went 1-for-3 with a run and two RBI.
New Mexico jumped out to an early lead with three runs in top of the second. Stovall and Dabbs both walked to start the inning, and an Arizona error loaded the bases. Hollick then delivered a two-run single to left field, marking his first career hit and runs driven in. Chad Itokazu drove in his second run of the young season with a sacrifice fly to center field, giving the Lobos a 3-1 advantage.
The lead would be shortlived, however, as Arizona scored one run in the second and four in the third to take a 6-3 lead. Jason Donald hit a three-run homer to left field for the Wildcats in the third.
U of A added one in the fourth before exploding for seven runs on six hits in the fifth to break the game open in building a 14-3 lead. Jordan Brown and Bill Rhinehart each hit homers in the big inning for Arizona. Brown finished the game 4-for-5 with three runs and three RBI.
UNM plated three in the seventh to cut the lead to 14-6. Hollick scored on a bases-loaded walk by A.J. Spitaleri and Stovall brought in two runs with a single through the left side.
Junior right-hander Darren Coltrinari took the loss for UNM after allowing six runs on six hits in 2.1 innings of action. Eric Berger picked up the win for Arizona by striking out four and giving up one hit in 2.2 innings of relief action.
MARK McGWIRE USELESS STAT OF THE WEEK
“When I broke in, they didn’t keep track of things the way they do now. These days they have a stat for how many times a guy goes for a cup of coffee.” – Mark McGwire
The Lobos are now 3-7 all-time when playing on Super Bowl Sunday after losing to No. 12 Arizona on Feb. 6. UNM is 2-5 when the NFC wins the Super Bowl, and 1-2 when the AFC wins the game.
Daniel Stovall PLACED ON WALLACE WATCH AWARD LIST, NAMED BASEBALL AMERICA’s PRESEASON MOUNTAIN WEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR: New Mexico sophomore first baseman Daniel Stovall was one of 58 players named to the Wallace Watch List for the 2005 season by the College Baseball Foundation. The Brooks Wallace Award is presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year. Kurt Suzuki of Cal State Fullerton was the winner of the 2004 Brooks Wallace Award. Stovall batted .347 with 12 homers, 14 doubles and 34 RBI in his freshman season and was named a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American.
The Wallace Watch will be trimmed to 12 semi-finalists by Tuesday, May 24, 2005.Then the selection committee will narrow the list to three finalists following the NCAA Super Regionals at a press conference in Omaha on Thursday, June 16, 2005.The finalists, their head coaches, and their parents will be invited to Lubbock, Texas, for a golf tournament, a welcome dinner and the award banquet.
Stovall was also showered with accolades by Baseball America. In its college preview, Baseball America named Stovall as its preseason choice for Mountain West Player of the Year. Stovall, who was also listed as the No. 3 prospect in the league, was named the best raw power of any hitter in the MWC along with top defensive first baseman honors.
KDEF 1150 AM TO BROADCAST LOBO BASEBALL FOR SECOND STRAIGHT SEASON: For the second straight season, Albuquerque radio station KDEF will supply exclusive broadcasts of Lobo baseball on 1150 AM and throughout the world at www.GoLobos.com. All of the team’s 29 home games will be broadcast in addition to selected road games and all of UNM’s games at the Mountain West Tournament May 25-28 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Henry Tafoya will call the play-by-play for the Lobos, while Dan Rivera and Mike Foote will provide analysis. It marks the second straight season for the trio calling Lobo baseball. Prior to each broadcast, there will be a 15 minute pre-game show. A post-game show with interviews will follow at the conclusion of each game. To listen to the games on GoLobos.com, click on the audio/video link on the right side of the page, select baseball, and pick the game you want to hear.
In addition to the broadcasts, all of New Mexico’s home games can be followed live on the internet at www.GoLobos.com with Gametracker. Gametracker takes official statistics from the press box and provides up-to-the-minute information for users, including updated team and individual stats, an updated box score, and play-by-play. Gametracker can be accessed on the right side of UNM’s home page in the upcoming events box.