Lobo Baseball – at Lobo Field
When: Friday – 6 p.m. (MT), Saturday – 2 p.m. (MT), Sunday – 1 p.m. (MT)
Who: San Diego State Aztecs
GoLobos.com: Live stats, live stream, box score, postgame recap and stats
Video: All three games will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network
Radio: ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM will broadcast all three games
TV: uPUBLUCtv is producing each game this weekend and they will be televised live in HD on Comcast channel 26
Promotions: This weekend, any fan that brings a new or gently used children’s/young adult book will receive a ticket for just $3.
Mountain West Standings
| Place | School | MW record | Overall record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego State | 3-0 | 12-1 |
| 1 | Nevada | 3-0 | 11-1 |
| 3 | New Mexico | 2-1 | 7-2 |
| 4 | Fresno State | 3-3 | 7-5 |
| 5 | Air Force | 1-2 | 3-7 |
| 6 | UNLV | 0-3 |
6-5 |
| 6 | San José St. | 0-3 |
4-8 |
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – It may only be the fourth weekend of the season, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early for a conference series with huge implications. The University of New Mexico baseball team welcomes the red-hot San Diego State Aztecs to Lobo Field this weekend in a series that could potentially have massive ramifications in the Mountain West title hunt.
“This is the best team they’ve had since I’ve been here,” eighth-year UNM head coach Ray Birmingham said. “They’re loaded with Top-10 draft picks.”
The Lobos and Aztecs were picked 1-2 in the preseason coaches poll, respectively, and San Diego State currently finds itself perched atop the standings in a tie with Nevada after one MW series: a home sweep over San Jose State last weekend. UNM sits a game back after taking two of three from Air Force two weeks ago in a series that had to be moved to Albuquerque due to weather in Colorado Springs. (The Wolf Pack travel to UNLV to face a Rebels team that was swept at Fresno State in its only conference series thus far.)
It’s an important series for the Lobos as they run the risk of falling as many as four games behind in the standings if they are swept. A series win, however, would put them in a tie with the Aztecs a fifth of the way through the conference season. To do so will be no easy task, despite the fact that UNM has not lost a home series to the Aztecs since 2004.
SDSU’s start has been impressive as they are hitting .322 as a team with a staff ERA of 3.72. Still, its opponents have not provided a very stiff test as they are a combined 12 games under .500. The Aztecs also have played just three games away from Tony Gwynn Stadium, and those were still in Southern California. They also have four one-run wins and a pair of two-run wins. They will likely come into Lobo Field feeling confident and with something to prove.
“I thought they and Nevada would be the teams to beat in the Mountain West this year,” Birmingham said. “This is going to be a tough challenge.”
The Lobos are 23-12 against San Diego State since Birmingham arrived in 2008.
• SCOUTING SAN DIEGO STATE … Winners of seven straight after a ninth-inning rally Tuesday, the Aztecs lead the Mountain West in batting with a .322 team average that ranks 10th in the country. They have four players hitting .326 or better, including senior center fielder, leadoff man and reigning MW Player of the Week Steven Pallares at a blistering .456. Every player that started Tuesday against UC Irvine is hitting .314 or better. Their scoring average of 7.1 runs per game narrowly edges out UNM’s 6.8.
SDSU’s pitching staff leads the conference with 131 strikeouts, 41 more than the next closest team. They have also thrown more innings than any other team, but they lead the conference and are 23rd in the NCAA in strikeouts per nine innings at 9.7. Friday night starter Bubba Derby is the main strikeout artist, ranking fourth in the nation with 30 punchouts and 14th in the NCAA with 14.46 K/9. He is 1-0 with a 2.41 ERA in 18.1 innings over three starts. Closer CJ Saylor has already appeared in nine games and leads the country with six saves despite a 4.00 ERA. As a staff they are holding opponents to a .265 batting average against.
Another thing the Aztecs have always done well, and they continue to do, is play cleanly in the field. They don’t beat themselves, with just eight errors on the season, which have led to just three unearned runs.
• LET’S TURN TWO … New Mexico has been one of the most prolific teams in the nation in turning double plays since 2012. Over the last three-plus seasons UNM has turned 182 double plays, which is the ninth most in the country during that span. This season they are seventh in the NCAA with 13 twin killings, and fifth in double plays per game with 1.44.
• ON BASE MACHINE … Sam Haggerty currently has the nation’s fourth longest streak of reaching base safely. Dating back to last season the Lobos’ junior second baseman has reached base via a hit, walk or HBP in 37 consecutive games. In fact, he has reached safely in 120 of his 125 career starts.
• BULLPEN DOMINANCE … The UNM bullpen has been outstanding at protecting leads during the last several seasons. The Lobos have won 38 straight games when leading after six innings, a streak that dates back to June 1, 2013. And if UNM is leading after eight innings? Forget it. The Lobos haven’t lost when leading after eight in 63 straight games. The last time the Lobos blew a lead was in their first game at the renovated Lobo Field when Luke Campbell lost a ball in the sun, which would have been the final out of the game, and allowed the go-ahead (and eventual winning) run to score.
• TURF MONSTER? … Despite playing their home games on FieldTurf the Lobos have had some adventures defensively lately. Dating back to last season they have committed at least one error in 16 straight games. They have recorded just three errorless outings in their last 47 contests.