Feb. 8, 2007
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THE SERIES: The New Mexico (1-0) baseball team plays its first three-game series of the 2007 season this weekend at Arizona (5-0). The Lobos take on the Wildcats Friday at 4 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at noon. Live stats are available on Arizona’s website, www.ArizonaAthletics.com.
Junior lefty Bobby LaFromboise is expected to make his first start as a Lobo on Friday against Arizona’s right-handed Preston Guilment (1-0). Two southpaws are slated to dual on Saturday with UNM throwing junior Jacob Norton against Brad Mills (1-0). The final game should pit two righties, UNM’s Stephen Smith against UA’s Mike Colla (1-0).
WILDCATS REPORT: Arizona is 5-0 early in the season, getting wins over Utah Valley State and Gonzaga. The Wildcats, coached by Andy Lopez, return 13 letterwinners from last year’s squad, including seven pitchers.
Arizona is hitting .398 as a team, scoring 10.6 runs per game. C.J. Ziegler leads the team with a .583 batting average and is tied with Bill Rhinehart (.571 avg.) with a team-high 10 runs scored. Rhinehart has hit three home runs along with teammate Brad Glenn, who is hitting .429 and leads the team in RBI (10).
The Wildcat pitching staff has been near perfect, posting a 1.60 ERA. Three pitchers have perfect ERAs, including starter Preston Guilmet, who has thrown a team-high 8.1 innings. David Coulon, who holds a 3.00 ERA (the second highest on the team), leads the team in strikeouts with 11.
HISTORY LESSON: Arizona has dominated the series with New Mexico, holding a 148-33 advantage. But last year the Lobos had their revenge, taking 3-for-4, including two in Tucson. The first win of the season series, 6-5 on Feb. 17 in Arizona, snapped a 23-game losing streak to the Wildcats which dated back to 1997. Overall, the Lobos are 18-35 vs. UA at home and 15-96 on the road.
BOMBS AWAY: The Lobos picked up right where they left off in 2006, blasting six home runs in the season opener at Texas Tech. Junior Jordan Pacheco went yard twice while seniors Matt Foote and Daniel Stovall and juniors Matt Hibbitts and Drew McDonald left the park once. Last year UNM ranked 14th in the nation in home runs per game, averaging 1.19 for a season total of 62.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Last year UNM led the nation in double plays, turning 66 for a 1.27 per game average. Despite the loss of their shortstop from last season, the Lobos are still making twin-killings look easy. In the season opener, New Mexico turned three thanks to preseason all-americans junior Jordan Pacheco at second base and senior Daniel Stovall at first.
FIRST OFF: Senior center fielder and leadoff hitter Matt Foote couldn’t have started the Lobos season off any better had he tried. Foote, in his first at bat in the season opener at Texas Tech on Feb. 6, blasted his ninth career home run. It is the first time a leadoff homer has started the season since at least 1980. Play-by-play for Lobo games prior to 1980 are unavailable.
A PREVIEW OF THINGS TO COME: If junior second baseman Jordan Pacheco’s performance in the season opener at Texas Tech on Feb. 6 is a preview of things to come, Pacheco is set to have a phenomenal year. He had two home runs in the game and turned three doubles plays. Pacheco’s line at the end of the night read 3-for-4 with four runs, three RBI, two walks and a double.
WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW: Junior Matt Hibbitts transferred to the University of New Mexico in the fall from Mt. Hood Community College. Prior to the season, he was informed he would be filling the enormous shoes of two-time All-American designated hitter Chris Carlson. Hibbitts didn’t let the pressure get to him and put on a great show in his first game, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.