LISTEN | GAME NOTES
New Mexico (18-12-1) at No. 6 Texas Tech (28-7)
Tuesday, April 11 • 1 p.m. (MT)
TBD vs. TBD
Rip Griffin Park – Lubbock, Texas
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico baseball team looks to get back on track as it hits the road to take on No. 6 Texas Tech 2 p.m. Tuesday at Rip Griffin Park.
The Lobos fell to Texas Tech 7-2 in Lubbock on Feb. 28 in a game the Lobos led 2-0 after the top of the first thanks to a two-run home run by Carl Stajduhar. The Red Raiders used a four-run third inning to take a 5-2 advantage and cruised from there. Stajduhar finished 2-for-4 with two RBI while Jack Zoellner went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles. Connor Beck paced Texas Tech at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run. Overall the Lobos are looking for their first win at Rip Griffin Park since beating Texas Tech 7-6 on March 24, 2015.
Texas Tech is coming off taking two of three at home against Baylor, winning the first two games 12-3 and 5-3 before falling 10-9 on Sunday. The Red Raiders last week also defeated New Mexico State 15-4 in Las Cruces. Texas Tech had a 10-game winning streak heading into its March 31-April 2 series with Oklahoma before dropping two of three to the Sooners.
LAST TIME OUT FOR UNM … The Lobos traveled to San Jose State this past weekend and went 0-1-1 against the Spartans.
UNM dropped a 2-1 contest to SJSU on Friday in a game where it left 12 men on base. The Lobos trailed 2-0 after two innings of play, but cut the lead in half in the fifth inning on a Carl Stajduhar RBI single.
But that’s as close as the Lobos would get as it dropped its second Mountain West contest. Tyler Stevens picked up the loss despite a strong start, going 6.1 innings and giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits with six strikeouts and four walks.
Saturday’s contest was canceled due to inclement weather and the Lobos and Spartans played to a 5-5 tie Sunday due to the drop dead time rule predetermined prior to the game.
UNM had a chance to win the contest as it took a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth before a single and two-run homer by SJSU tied the game. Three batters later the time limit was reached, resulting in UNM’s first tie since 2014 and second in the last 10 years.
Hayden Schilling went 2-for-3 with a run and RBI, Luis Gonzalez went 2-for-4 with an RBI while Jack Zoellner and Daniel Herrera each added RBI singles.
Johnathon Tripp got the no decision, going six innings and giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
The Lobos last Wednesday had opportunities, but eventually lost 7-2 to No. 19 San Diego in San Diego, Calif.
UNM (18-11 overall) stranded 14 runners, including leaving the bases loaded twice and leaving two runners on three times, as the Lobos couldn’t find the timely hit it needed – particularly when the game was still in the balance before a three-run eighth inning by the Toreros (20-7) gave them a five-run cushion going into the ninth.
The Lobos outhit the Toreros 11-9 in the contest with Mang, last week’s Mountain West Player of the Week, finishing 3-for-4 with a triple and an RBI while Carl Stajduhar was 3-for-5 with a double, run and RBI and Robby Campillo finished 3-for-4. The Lobos struck out 13 times, however, the second most this season for UNM.
The Lobos struggled with control on the mound and walked a season-high nine batters Wednesday night after not walking more than six in the previous 28 games this season. James Harrington picked up the loss, going 2.2 innings and giving up three runs on three hits with no strikeouts and four walks.
SCOUTING TEXAS TECH … The Red Raiders rank in the top 35 in the nation in hitting (.300 – 33rd), ERA (3.31 – 32nd) and fielding (.982 – ninth).
At the plate, much of Texas Tech’s run production has come from Hunter Hargrove (.348, four home runs, 16 doubles, 35 RBI) and Orlando Garcia (.274, eight home runs, 37 RBI) while Grand Little (.369), Ryan Long (.337), Michael Berglund (.320) and Tanner Garner (.313) are all hitting above .300 for the Lobos.
On the mound, Texas Tech will likely go with weekday starters John Henry Gonzalez (2-2, 4.28 ERA) or Erikson Lanning (1-0, 2.38 ERA). Weekend starters Steven Gingery (6-0, 1.00 ERA), Davis Martin (4-1, 2.57 ERA) and Ryan Shetter (2-0, 3.60 ERA) have paced the Texas Tech pitching staff. Out of the bullpen John McMillon (1.54 ERA, three saves), Jacob Patterson (2.89 ERA), Parker Mushinski (3.10 ERA, one save) and Jose Quezada (3.98 ERA, four saves) have paced the Red Raiders.
UNM BASEBALL NOTES
- MANG NAMED MOUNTAIN WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK (March 27-April 2) … The University of New Mexico baseball team collected its fifth Mountain West Player of the Week award – with a fourth player to win it – as Jared Mang on Monday was named this week’s winner by the conference. Mang hit .471 (8-for-17) during a week that saw the first-place Lobos beat in-state foe New Mexico State on the road Tuesday and take two of three at home from Fresno State over the weekend to improve their record to 11-1 in conference play. The UNM clean-up hitter finished the week with eight runs, seven RBI and with an on-base percentage of .524. The sophomore’s top game came in the Lobos’ 24-4 victory over Fresno State on Friday night as he went 4-for-6 with four RBI and four runs. He was also key in the Lobos’ 6-2 win over the Bulldogs on Sunday, going 1-for-3 with two RBI, two runs and a double while also collecting an assist from left field.
- LOBO PITCHING STRONG OVER LAST 15 GAMES … The UNM pitching staff has continued to improve as the season has gone on – particularly over their last 15. The Lobo staff has a 3.15 ERA over that stretch, including a three-game set against No. 5 Cal State Fullerton and a game against No. 19 San Diego. UNM has allowed 135 hits in 131.1 innings of work over the previous 15 games with its opponents hitting .264.
- A MOUNTAIN WEST FIRST … With its win March 24, the Lobos became the first team in Mountain West history to start conference play 7-0 (the Lobos started conference play 10-0 before its first loss). The previous best start was 6-0 by UNLV in 2004. The best winning percentage in a season in Mountain West play is .870 (20-3)by TCU twice (2007 and 2011).
- TWO GAMES, 51 RUNS … The Lobos broke out of their slump in a big way Wednesday by beating Grand Canyon 22-3 and followed it up by racking up the third-most runs in Lobo history with a 29-8 win over UNLV on Friday.
The two-game total of 51 runs is the second-most runs in back-to-back games in Lobo history. UNM scored 55 runs in a two-game span in 1999 (beat New Mexico State 28-18 on March 30 and Fresno State 27-26 on April 1).
- STEVENS HITS TOP 10 IN Ks IN LOBO HISTORY … Tyler Stevens has been punching out opposing hitters left and right this season and his total of 177 in his career now has him in the top 10 in Lobo history.
STRIKEOUTS (Career)
356 Jim Kremmel, 1968-71
334 Bob McAulay, 1966-68
299 Ralph, 1966-68
251 James Vermilyea, 2001-04
222 Danny Ray Herrera, 2004-06
214 Kurt Hildebrandt, 1991-93, ’95
202 Rob Hoover, 1976-79
196 Jim Kalk, 1964-66
188 Chris Cooper, 2000-01
177 Tyler Stevens, 2015-17
175 Rudy Jaramillo, 2009-12
- ROOF-BOUND BLAST FOR PRATT … Sophomore Andrew Pratt has displayed his raw power at the plate in the past, but did something few (if any) have ever done in game play at Santa Ana Star Field – particularly with no wind. In Tuesday night’s contest against Grand Canyon, Pratt crushed a ball for a home run that cleared the left-center field wall at the 413-foot sign, crossed the street behind the fence and landed on the Rudy Davalos Basketball Center roof – a building that is at least 30 feet tall.
- JACK ATTACK – A HIT STREAK TO REMEMBER … UNM’s Jack Zoellner might have felt a little left out when he was sitting at 0-for-5 late in the game Saturday as the Lobos racked up 24 runs and 28 hits at Air Force. The senior hit a single in his second-to-last at-bat (he walked in his final plate appearance of the day) in that contest to keep from getting the collar – but little did anyone know it would start an impressive hit streak. Zoellner went 5-for-5 Sunday at Air Force and got a hit in his first three at-bats against New Mexico State on Tuesday for nine consecutive at-bats with a base hit before being retired in his final at-bat Tuesday night. Zoellner also walked three times during that span, meaning he reached base an eye-popping 12 straight plate appearances.
- SCHNEIDER WINS! STEVENS WINS! A COMMON THEME … Senior left-hander Carson Schneider is moving up the all-time win ranks after going 9-4 last season, tied for the sixth-most wins in single-season Lobo history. The Albuquerque native and Sandia High School grad is now 18-6 in his career, which is a win short of reaching the all-time top 10. His .750 winning percentage is tied for second on the all-time Lobo list.
Closing in quickly for the Lobos on the career wins list is Tyler Stevens as the junior is 17-10 in his career, just two wins from the No. 10 spot and one victory behind Schneider.
WINS (Career)
27 Rob Hoover, 1976-79
26 Josh Walker, 2012-14
24 Bob McAulay, 1966-68
23 Dean Duane, 1982-85
22 Danny Ray Herrera, 2004-06
22 Jim Kremmel, 1968-71
21 Kurt Hildebrandt, 1991-93, ’95
20 Rod Adair, 1971-74
19 Dean Duane, 1982-85
19 Jim Sharpe, 1979-82
19 Ralph Sallee, 1966-68
(18 Carson Schneider, 2014-present)
(17 Tyler Stevens, 2015-present)WINNING PCT. (Career, Min. 15 Dec.)
.773 (17-5) Luis Gonzalez, 1995-96
.750 (12-4) Jim Coleman, 1991-94
.750 (18-6) Carson Schneider, 2014-present
.743 (26-9) Josh Walker, 2012-14
.727 (24-9) Bob McAulay, 1966-68
.722 (13-5) Don Miller, 1972-75
.708 (17-7) Chris Baum, 1992-95
.704 (19-8) Ralph Sallee, 1966-68
.688 (11-5) Gary Jacobs, 1969-70
.650 (13-7) Arnie Marzullo, 1972073
.647 (22-12) Danny Ray Herrera, 2004-06
- BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK JACK … Jack Zoellner’s incredible start to 2017 saw him do something that a Lobo hasn’t done since 2013. The senior first baseman hit home runs in three consecutive games (March 5 versus Air Force, March 7 versus New Mexico State and March 10 versus San Jose State), the first time a UNM player has done that since DJ Peterson in 2013.
- NOT ONE, NOT TWO, NOT THREE, NOT FOUR, BUT … UNM junior Danny Collier did something a Lobo hasn’t done in nearly seven years as he scored five runs during Saturday’s 24-16 victory over Air Force. He’s the first Lobo to score five runs in a game since Justin Howard scored six against Coppin State on April 18, 2010.
- INNING TO REMEMBER … Freshman Beau Capanna had an inning to remember against Binghamton in his collegiate debut Feb. 19. In his first plate appearance as a Lobo in the third inning, Capanna singled, stole second base and eventually scored. As the Lobos kept putting together hits for what would be a seven-run inning, Capanna came up again and hit an RBI single – and stole another base. When the damage was done in the third inning, Capanna went 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, a run and an RBI. Not a bad debut to say the least.
- DEATH, TAXES & STAJ … To say Carl Stajduhar has been a staple in the Lobo lineup for his first two years in Albuquerque might be an understatement. The junior has started 151 of the Lobos’ 152 games during his career, including the last 139 – which is tied for third on the Lobos’ all-time list. The lone game he didn’t start in his career? A March 8, 2015, game against San Diego State in Albuquerque – a contest he later entered as a pinch hitter.
CONSECUTIVE STARTS
181 Mitch Garver, 2010-13
144 Daniel Stovall, 2004-07
139 Antonio Fernandez, 1992-94
139 Carl Stajduhar, 2015-present
135 Aaron Sisk, 1998-2000
124 Larry Harrison, 1980-83
118 Sam Haggerty, 2013-15
117 Chase Harris, 2013-14
108 Matt Foote, 2004-07
101 Lon Yamaguchi, 1996-99
- YARD WORK BY STAJDUHAR … Carl Stajduhar’s 2016 season saw him swat 18 home runs, which tied for seventh in single-season Lobo history. The junior also has 33 in his career, tied for ninth on the UNM all-time list.
HOME RUNS (Career)
53 Aaron Sisk, 1998-00
50 Chris Alexander, 2000-03
42 Daniel Stovall, 2004-07
41 DJ Peterson, 2011-13
38 Joe Salas, 2001-04
38 Lon Yamaguchi, 1996-99
36 Chris Carlson, 2005-06
34 Jeff Grady, 2002-05
33 Carl Stajduhar, 2015-present
29 Mark Gulseth, 1992-93
- IT’S OVER AFTER EIGHT … 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 141 straight games, a streak that dates back to March 24, 2013.
Lobos when leading after 8 since March 24, 2013
2013 25-0
2014 33-0
2015 29-0
2016 36-0
2017 17-0-1