ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico pitching staff was full of young, talented arms in 2015. The Lobos received numerous outstanding performances from their young crop of hurlers, led by freshman righty Tyler Stevens.
Stevens, out of Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins, Colo., set a new UNM freshman record with a 3.44 ERA that led the Lobos. He made 18 appearances, including 13 starts. He finished the season with five wins, another Lobo freshman record, and he became just the second UNM freshman to ever pitch two complete games, joining Danny Ray Herrera (2006).
On April 12 Stevens tossed the first nine-inning, complete-game one-hitter for UNM in 50 years. It was the first one-hit performance of any kind for the Lobos since March 6, 1976. He struck out five, faced just one batter over the minimum, and retired the final 16 batters he faced. This against a Falcons team that finished the season 12th in the nation in doubles and fourth in doubles per game.
As if that weren’t enough, in the Mountain West Tournament Stevens shut them down again. He allowed just six hits while striking out a season-high eight in a 13-1 UNM win for his second complete game of the season.
However, that wasn’t the longest or best outing for UNM in the conference tournament. Carson Schneider allowed just one run in 7.1 innings in a 9-1 victory over Fresno State to put the Lobos in the championship game. It was the longest outing of Schneider’s career, and he struck out a career-best five batters. The performance earned the sophomore southpaw a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
In 2014 Schneider set a program freshman record by appearing in 24 games. This season he made 23 appearances, which included the first six starts of his career. He walked just 11 batters in 58.2 innings and posted a 3.68 ERA to go along with his 5-1 record. Over his final 16.2 innings of the year, he allowed just two earned runs., which is a 1.08 ERA.
Right-hander Hayden Schilling was second behind Stevens in appearances by a Lobo freshman this year with 17. He posted a 3.38 ERA in 16.0 high-pressure innings, and he became just the fourth UNM freshman to earn multiple saves in a season, finishing tied with three others for the Lobo record with two.
In his first save he came on March 24 at No. 18 Texas Tech with two on, no outs, and the potential winning run at the plate. After a sacrifice bunt, he got a fielder’s choice and a popup to end the game. In his second save at UNLV on April 18, he came on with the tying run at the plate, but he recorded the final two outs without allowing a run.
Schilling’s 17 appearances were one more than fellow freshman’s Luis Gonzalez’, who finished with 16, including five starts. Gonzalez’ best appearance was his first. Facing a high-powered Oregon State offense, that is a No. 2 seed in the NCAA postseason, on Feb. 15, he tossed 4.1 innings of no-hit ball after missing the entire fall due to a back injury. He finished with a 4-2 record and 38.2 innings pitched.
The Lobos should also expect big things out of freshman right-hander James Harrington. The native of Gilbert, Ariz., made 13 appearances, which included three starts on the weekend. In just his second career outing, he pitched 3.1 innings of shutout relief at No. 7 Arizona State on March 18.
Sophomore Preston Ryan was the sixth Lobo underclassman to pitch big innings for UNM this season. His 20 relief appearances were third on the team. Before allowing seven runs over his final three outings due to a shoulder injury, he had a 3.51 ERA, and he finished the season with three victories, including two on the road: the win at Texas Tech on March 24, and the Lobos’ 7-4 win at San Diego State on April 2.
That’s six Lobo pitchers, two lefties and six righties, that saw big innings and did great things for UNM in 2015. UNM head coach Ray Birmingham and pitching coach Dan Spencer, as well as Lobo fans, should expect even bigger and better things from that group in the seasons to come.