Lobo Baseball – at Santa Ana Star Field
When: Friday- 6 p.m. (MT); Saturday – 2 p.m. (MT)*; Sunday – 1 p.m. (MT)
Who: Dallas Baptist Patriots
GoLobos.com: Live stats, box score, live stream and postgame recap
Video: Each game will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network on GoLobos.com
TV: All three games will be televised locally on Comcast channel 26
Radio: ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM will broadcast all three games
*Due to a previously scheduled event in WisePies Arena, there will be a $5 charge for parking on Saturday
Mountain West Standings
| Place | School | MW record | Overall record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresno State | 0-0 | 9-0 |
| 2 | New Mexico | 0-0 | 6-1 |
| 3 | Air Force | 0-0 | 5-2 |
| 4 | Nevada | 0-0 | 4-5 |
| 5 | San José St. | 0-0 | 4-6 |
| 6 | UNLV | 0-0 |
1-5 |
| 7 | San Diego St. | 0-0 |
1-8 |
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico baseball team rejoined the national rankings this week for the first time since the 2014 season. The Lobos came in at No. 24 from Collegiate Baseball and are receiving votes from the NCBWA. Their reward? A very difficult home series against Dallas Baptist, which boasts two outstanding arms.
Southpaw Colin Poche (Friday) and righty Darick Hall (Saturday) have combined to allow just one run in 24.2 innings this year. They have more combined strikeouts (22) than base runners allowed (18). UNM’s offense will be put to its toughest test of the young season. The Lobos enter the weekend second in the nation in on-base percentage (.461), 15th in scoring (9.6 runs per game), 23rd in slugging (.514) and 24th in batting (.331).
UNM’s rotation will counter with Carson Schneider (2-0, 3.27) and Tyler Stevens (1-0, 3.18) with either Colton Thomson (1-0, 0.00) or James Harrington (2-0, 2.84) pitching on Sunday. Overall, UNM’s starting pitching has been fantastic through seven games. They have combined to allow just 12 runs in 41.0 innings, which is a 2.63 ERA. They have struck out 30 and walked just 13 while holding opponents to a .235 batting average against. If they continue to pitch like that, UNM will be put in position to win against any team and any pitcher.
The Patriots broke out in their last game, scoring 15 runs on 19 hits. For the season they are hitting .289 as a squad and have seven regulars at .296 or better.
All three games of the series will be streamed online on the Mountain West Network, will be carried on the radio by ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM, and televised locally on Comcast channel 26.
Against Dallas Baptist: UNM took two of three from the Patriots in Albuquerque in 2006 in the only previous series between the schools.
Series Record: 2-1
Home: 2-1; Away: 0-0; Neutral: 0-0
Up Next: UNM faces Rio Grande Rival New Mexico State on Tuesday in the first of four meetings this year. The game will be played in El Paso, Texas.
• SCOUTING DALLAS BAPTIST … The Patriots are led by their formidable 1-2 punch in the rotation. Friday starter Colin Poche and Saturday starter Darick Hall have combined to allow just one run in 24.2 innings of work. They have allowed just 18 total baserunners (13 hits, three walks, two HBP) with 22 strikeouts. The bullpen has had its shaky moments but still has a save in all of their wins. Overall the staff is limiting opponents to a .235 average and owns a 4.31 ERA.
Offensively DBU broke out in its midweek game against Texas Southern on Tuesday. The Patriots pounded out 19 hits and drew eight walks to raise their team average from .258 to .289. Junior second baseman has only started half the games but is hitting .538 (7-for-13). They have five other starters hitting between .296 and .320. Senior right fielder Justin Wall bats in the three-hole and has drawn 10 walks this season to post a .486 OBP.
• DeVITO PLAYER OF THE WEEK … Chris DeVito was named the MW Player of the Week on Feb. 29 for his role in helping UNM go 4-0 from Feb. 22-28. The junior C/DH hit .562 with seven runs and nine RBIs. The highlight was his five-hit, seven-RBI day (both career highs) against Wichita State in UNM’s 17-7 win on Feb. 26.
• BEST START SINCE ’08… The Lobos are currently in the midst of their best start to a season since head coach Ray Birmingham’s first at the helm of the program in 2008. That team started 7-0 before dropping its next four games. If the Lobos can take the first two games against Dallas Baptist, it will mark the program’s best start to a season since 1985.
• WALK THIS WAY … UNM has been walking all over its competition so far this season. The Lobos are second in the nation with 60 walks in their first seven games. (The team they’re behind, Mercer, has played two more games than the Lobos.) UNM’s 17 free passes at Hawai’i on Feb. 21 tied a Mountain West record and were the most in program history. Jack Zoellner is leading the way with 11 walks, which ranks fifth in the country. With just an eighth of the season played, UNM is already nearly a fifth of the way to its single-season walk record of 321 set in 1987.
• JACK ATTACK … Lobo junior first baseman Jack Zoellner was UNM’s leading returning hitter entering the year, and he showed why in the Lobos’ season opening series at Hawai’i. In four games against the Rainbow Warriors Zoellner reached base 16 times in 23 plate appearances: eight hits, seven walks and one error.
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 86 straight games, a streak that dates back to March 24, 2013.