Lobo Baseball – at Tony Gwynn Stadium
When: Thursday – 7 p.m. (MT); Friday – 7 p.m. (MT); Saturday – 2 p.m. (MT)
Who: San Diego State Aztecs
GoLobos.com: Live stats, live stream, box score, postgame recap and stats
Video: The second and third games will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network and will be available at GoLobos.com
Mountain West Standings
| Place | School | MW record | Overall record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego State | 10-2 | 22-7 |
| 2 | Nevada | 9-3 | 23-6 |
| 3 | New Mexico | 7-5 | 15-11 |
| 3 | Fresno State | 7-5 | 16-13 |
| 5 | Air Force | 5-7 | 10-16 |
| 6 | UNLV | 2-10 |
12-15 |
| 6 | San José St. | 2-10 |
8-20 |
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – If the University of New Mexico baseball team wants to maintain any realistic shot of its fourth straight regular-season Mountain West championship, then they take at least two games from its series this weekend at San Diego State. Not only would it also give UNM a huge tiebreaker over the Aztecs, but it would also help to close the current three-game gap that exists in the standings.
UNM got just that result when the teams met at Lobo Field in early March. UNM took the first two games by scores of 6-2 and 11-10 before dropping the finale 10-8. But it will be a much taller task to do so in San Diego, where the Lobos have historically struggled to a 28-61 record. However, UNM has won six of its last seven in San Diego against the Aztecs dating back to 2011.
This series will finish a brutal stretch for the Lobos, which saw them play 12 games (out of 15) against Top 30 opponents since March 13. That is part of the reason why they’ve faced the 20th most difficult schedule in the country according to D1Baseball.com. They have played 11 games against RPI Top 50 opponents already this season. Conversely, San Diego State has played just two such games (UNM’s RPI according to D1Baseball is 55).
One good sign is the Lobos are beginning to play up to their talent expectations, and it couldn’t come at a better time. New Mexico has been hitting much better of late, and is batting at a a crisp .322 clip over its last eight games. The top five in UNM’s lineup (Danny Collier, Lane Milligan, Chris DeVito, Cory Voss and Carl Stajduhar) are all hitting .323 or better over that time frame, with DeVito (.515) and Voss (.414) over leading the way.
The bullpen has also been pretty good over that stretch. Led by Hayden Schilling (0.00 in 4.1 IP), Victor Sanchez (2.08 in 4.1 IP) and Jake Cole (2.35 in 7.2 IP), Lobo relievers are holding opponents to just a .228 batting average since March 18. Cole was just named Mountain West Pitcher of the Week after tossing 3.1 hitless innings in UNM’s win on Sunday.
Against San Diego State: UNM took two of three from SDSU at Lobo Field earlier this season. Those are the only MW losses the Aztecs have suffered this season, as well as their only losses on the road all year. UNM is 25-13 vs. SDSU under Ray Birmingham.
Series Record: 70-104
Home: 38-35; Away: 28-61; Neutral: 4-8
• SCOUTING SAN DIEGO STATE … The Aztecs are undefeated in Mountain West play versus teams other than UNM. Outside of losing two of three to the Lobos in early March, they have swept their other three series: vs. San Jose State, vs. Air Force and at UNLV. However, those teams are the bottom three in the league and are only 9-27 in MW play.
SDSU is coming off a shutout loss Monday to BYU in which they mustered just four hits, but still leads the conference with a .300 team batting average. They have there players hitting close to .400: Chase Calabuig (.407), Steven Pallares (.395) and Ty France (.386). Pallares leads the team in slugging (.597), doubles (12), home runs (four), RBIs (31) and walks (20).
The Aztecs have also been pitching well and own a 3.75 team ERA. Thursday starter Bubba Derby is has a 2.58 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 45.1 innings, but his only loss this season came against the Lobos. Closer CJ Saylor has nine saves on the year, but he was roughed up in an appearance against UNM and owns a 5.49 ERA.
One area where the Aztecs excel, and have always excelled, is defensively. They have committed just 23 errors in 29 games and have a .980 fielding percentage.
• SAVE ME … With his save against No. 19 Texas Tech on March 31, Victor Sanchez moved into sole possession of third place on UNM’s all-time saves list with 12 in his career. He is one behind second place and just three behind of the leader, Gera Sanchez.
• COLE, VOSS SWEEP MW WEEKLY AWARDS … Senior RHP Jake Cole and freshman catcher Cory Voss were named Mountain West Pitcher and Player of the Week on Monday, March 30. It was the first career honor for both players, and it was the first weekly honors for UNM this season. Voss was also named the College Sports Madness MW Player of the Week.
• YOUNG LINEUP … The Lobos have one of the youngest lineups in the country, and it’s evidenced by the fact that 65 percent of their plate appearances have come from freshmen and sophomores, which is the eighth highest percentage in the nation. Right now UNM can expect to start just two juniors — Dalton Bowers at short and Jared Holley at second — and seven freshmen and sophomores.
• NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY … Speaking of youth, the Lobos current weekend rotation looks almost nothing like how the coaching staff drew it up before the season. UNM’s starting trio of Toller Boardman, Tyler Stevens and Carson Schneider entered the 2015 season with a combined total of ONE Division I start, and that was by Boardman as a member of the Texas Longhorns back in 2013. Schneider made a UNM fresman-record 24 appearances out of the bullpen last season, but did start a game. Stevens was pitching for Rocky Mountain HS last season. This year, however, the trio have started 14 of UNM’s 26 games heading into this weekend’s series at San Diego State. Add in freshman James Harrington, who is expected to start on Thursday, and that brings the total to 61.5 percent of UNM’s starts this season.
• FIVE STRAIGHT … From March 18-24 the Lobos played in five straight one-run games. It was the first time they had done so since 1968, and it was just the second time in program history, UNM has now been part of 614 one-run games in program history and owns a .508 winning percentage (312-302). UNM has never had a stretch of six straight one-run games.
• 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 191double plays, which is the 10th most in the country during that span. This season they are 26th in the NCAA with 28 twin killings, and 17th in double plays per game with 1.08.
• THREE FOR ME … On Tuesday, March 10, freshman catcher Cory Voss tripled twice in UNM’s 8-5 loss to Stephen F. Austin. He was the first Lobo to record two triples in a game since Alex Allbritton did so on April 18, 2010, against Coppin State. Heading into the weekend he’s fifth in the NCAA with five triples, which is tops among all catchers.
• HIT ME BABY ONE MORE TIME … Despite standing just 5-foot-8 and being the shortest player in each of his three years on the Lobos, Jared Holley has become a baseball magnet. He has been hit by 28 pitches in his career, which is good for a three-way tie for second in UNM history.
• FOLLOW MY LEAD … The Lobos have had their leadoff man reach in 97 of their 228 innings, good for an inning-starting OBP of .425.
• BULLPEN DOMINANCE … The UNM bullpen has been outstanding at protecting leads during the last several seasons. If UNM is leading after eight innings? Forget it. The Lobos haven’t lost when leading after eight in 70 straight games. They recently saw their streak of winning when leading after six innings snapped, however. Despite leading 3-2 after six against No. 24 Houston on March 20, the Lobos eventually lost 6-5 to snap a 40-game win streak when holding a lead after six complete innings. Still, they have won 44 of their last 45 when leading after six.