May 9, 2007
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. –
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THE GAME: The Lobos (21-23, 7-8 MWC) conclude the home portion of the 2007 season this week, hosting UNLV for a three-game series. The Rebels play New Mexico Thursday, Friday and Saturday at noon. UNLV is slated to throw right-handed pitchers Craig Heyer (5-7, 5.90 ERA) and Matt Hutchison (2-7, 6.99 ERA) and left-haned Kevin Skogley (2-4, 6.37 ERA), respectively. New Mexico plans to start right-handed Stephen Smith (5-7, 6.86 ERA) followed by lefties Bobby LaFromboise (5-2, 3.44 ERA) and Jacob Norton (4-7, 6.23 ERA), respectively.
CSTV’s GameTracker is available on New Mexico’s website, www.GoLobos.com, providing up-to-the-minute stats, play-by-play and more. Free live video is also available on UNM’s website in the Lobos All-Access section located on the right side of the front page.
LOOKING AT THE LOBOS: New Mexico, 22-25 overall and 8-10 in the Mountain West Conference, has lost two of its last three at home heading into the weekend. The Lobos are hitting .314, led by Jordan Pacheco’s .401 batting average. The team has a 6.08 ERA with four pitchers, including starter Bobby LaFromboise posting ERAs under 4.00.
REVIEWING THE REBELS: UNLV, 18-31 overall and 7-11 in the Mountain West Conference, has won four straight since spiraling on a season-long 12-game losing streak. The Rebels are better on the road than at home, going just 8-17 at Earl E. Wilson Stadium while 10-14 at opponents’ parks. UNLV, hitting .289, is led at the plate by Keith Smith (.340) and Ryan Kowalski (.337). They have a 6.11 ERA and all three starters have ERA’s over 5.50.
HISTORY LESSONS: UNLV leads the all-time series 76-41, winning nine of the last 10 games. The Rebels and Lobos met twice in last year’s Mountain West Conference tournament with UNM sending UNLV into the consolation bracket but was eliminated from play by the Rebels in the next meeting. Below are some series notes:
All-time series record: 67-41, UNLV
Series record in Albuquerque: 19-15, UNM
Series record in Las Vegas: 52-22, UNLV
Series record at neutral sites: never met
Last series win: 5/20-22/04
Last series loss: 5/12-14/06
Last home series win: 5/20-22/04
Last home series loss: 3/24-26/05
Last road series win: 4/23-25/04
Last road series loss: 5/12-14/06
Last UNM series sweep: 4/28-30/00
Last UNLV series sweep: 5/12-14/06
Last 10 games: 1-9
Alday vs. UNLV: 31-46
Longest UNM win streak: 10, 1999-2001
Longest UNM losing streak: 8, three times
Last UNM win: 5/23/06 (17-2)
Last UNM loss: 5/25/06 (8-6)
Last UNM home win: 3/24/05 (10-8)
Last UNM home loss: 3/26/05 (14-9)
Last UNM road win: 5/23/06 (17-2)
Last UNM road loss: 5/25/06 (8-6)
Last UNM shutout win: never
Last UNM shutout loss: 2/4/95 (6-0)
Highest scoring game: 36, 4/27/07 (L, 23-13)
Largest margin of victory: 15, 5/23/06 (17-2)
Largest margin of defeat: 21, 3/30/02 (23-2)
UNM in one-run games: 5-17
Most runs by UNM: 17, twice – last 5/23/06 (W, 17-2)
Most runs by UNLV: 23, 4/27/02 (W, 23-13)
HOT-HITTING HOLLICK: Ian Hollick has been red-hot lately, pounding out a 14-game hit streak. The streak ties his career-high and tops the 11-game streak he has to start this season. Over the last 14 games, he has been hitting .355 with 13 runs scored and nine walks.
PITCHERS DUAL: Friday night at Isotopes Park the fans in attendance got to witness agurably the greatest pitching dual this season. BYU’s starter Jesse Craig and UNM’s Stephen Smith were deadlocked after seven innings, both possessing three-hit shutouts. Craig went on for the complete game win.
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: The Lobos come-from-behind win Friday night against BYU was one for the ages. Jay Russell’s pinch-hit single drove in the tying run in the ninth and then Russell scored the game-winning run on Daniel Stovall’s walk-off single up the middle. The night was also special for Brandon Hewett. He posted career-highs in innings pitched (3.1) and strikeouts (4), closing out the game and earning his first collegiate win in his 36th appearance.
THE COMPLETE PACKAGE: Ian Hollick and Drew McDonald are a coach’s dream. They produce on the field and off. Hollick, a Business Administration major with a 3.64 GPA, and McDonald, a Biology major with a 3.20 GPA, are nominees for the ESPN the Magazine All-Academic Regional team.
WALLACE AWARD FINALISTS: Daniel Stovall and Jordan Pacheco were named finalists for the 2007 Wallace Award announced by the College Baseball Foundation Wednesday, May 2. The two are part of the 112 NCAA players who are in contention for the award which is presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year. The Wallace Award selection committee will narrow the list to three finalists following the NCAA Super Regionals, prior to the College World Series. The selection committee is comprised of a national panel of preeminent coaches, sports information directors, former winners and beat media who most closely follow the sport.