Feb. 14, 2005
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After sweeping past New Mexico State over the weekend at Isotopes Park, the Lobo baseball team was rewarded with Mountain West Player of the Week honors for sophomore first baseman Daniel Stovall and Mountain West Pitcher of the Week honors for senior right-hander Karsten Gaarder. Both were instrumental in leading the New Mexico baseball team to its first three-game sweep over intrastate rival New Mexico State since 1987. This is the second career weekly honor for Stovall and the first for Gaarder.
Stovall, a Midland, Texas, native, was 8-for-17 (.471) from the plate with a home run, four doubles, nine RBI and four runs scored last week, as New Mexico tallied a 3-1 record on the week. He started the week off with a 1-for-4, one RBI performance in a loss to Texas Tech Feb. 8. In game one vs. New Mexico State, he was 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three RBI and two runs scored, as the Lobos defeated the Aggies, 13-9. In game two he was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored in the Lobos 8-3 win, and concluded the series with a 2-for-4, three RBI effort in game three. Stovall also had 30 putouts and two assists from the first base position.
Gaarder (pronounced GOY-der), from Arlington, Texas, gave up just five hits, three walks and two earned runs in 7.1 innings in game two vs. New Mexico State last weekend, earning his first victory of the season. He struck out a UNM season-high eight, and retired nine consecutive batters from the second to the fifth inning, as the Lobos posted an 8-3 win.
The Lobos return to action for a three-game series against Texas State this weekend (Feb. 18-20) at Isotopes Park. The first game is set for Friday, Feb. 18 at 6 p.m.