WATCH | SERIES NOTES
New Mexico (20-14-1) at Kansas State (17-18)
Tuesday, April 18 • 1:30 p.m. & 5:30 p.m. (MT)
Game 1: TBD vs. TBD
Game 2: TBD vs. TBD
Tointon Family Stadium – Manhattan, Kan.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico baseball team takes on Kansas State for the first time in a long time when the Lobos and Wildcats meet for a doubleheader starting at 1:30 p.m. (MT) Tuesday at Tointon Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan.
This will be the first time since 2001 and just the second time since 1977 UNM and Kansas State have faced off on the baseball field. The previous time was Feb. 18, 2001, in Albuquerque – a game the Lobos won 12-3. Prior to that the Lobos and Wildcats last played in Manhattan, Kan., on March 17, 1977 – a doubleheader the teams split with Kansas State winning game one 10-6 and the Lobos winning game two 12-6. The first meeting was a three-game series March 19-20, 1971 in Albuquerque in which the Lobos won game one 12-10 before dropping game two (4-2) and three (5-4).
The Wildcats have lost 12 of their last 14 games after starting the season 15-6. However, their recent losing skid has come against tough competition such as No. 4 TCU (swept in three-game series) and No. 6 Texas Tech – which Kansas State lost two of three to at home this weekend. Along with Texas Tech (who UNM is 0-2 against), the Wildcats also played a common opponent with the Lobos in Oklahoma State – losing two of three to the Cowboys (UNM went 0-2).
LAST TIME OUT FOR UNM … The Lobos took on Missouri State in a top-40 RPI matchup this past week at Santa Ana Star Field and UNM (39th RPI) took two of three from the Bears (24th RPI).
UNM took the first game of the series 17-8 on Thursday – scoring 11 unanswered runs against MSU after falling behind 7-5 heading into the bottom of the fifth. The Lobos scored three in the fifth, six in the sixth, and two in the seventh to take a 16-7 lead before cruising to the win.
Jared Mang paced UNM with a career-best five hits (5-for-6), a home run, double, four RBI and three runs. Hayden Schilling went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs and Beau Capanna went 3-for-4 with a triple, double, four RBI and two runs.
Brandon Langan got the win in relief after throwing 0.1 innings of scoreless relief right before UNM took the lead. The Lobo bullpen gave up just one run over the final four innings of play.
Again the Lobos fell behind Friday – this time 4-0 – before scoring nine unanswered runs to cruise to a 9-5 victory. Mang once again homered while going 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs, Danny Collier went 2-for-5 with a run and RBI while Schilling was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs.
Tyler Stevens picked up the win, going 5.1 innings and giving up four runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and four walks. Again the UNM bullpen was solid, giving up a lone run in the ninth inning in 3.2 innings of work.
The Lobos couldn’t complete the sweep, however, as UNM was blanked at home for the first time since 2011 (a stretch of 164 game) during an 8-0 loss Saturday. Luis Gonzalez and Collier had two hits apiece for UNM to combine for four of the team’s five hits. Johnathon Tripp got the loss, going six innings and giving up five runs on six hits with two strikeouts and five walks.
The Lobos held a 4-3 lead on No. 6 Texas Tech heading into the bottom of the fourth, but surrendered nine unanswered runs and lost 12-4 Tuesday afternoon in Lubbock, Texas.
UNM, which outhit the Red Raiders 13-11, tied a season high with 16 Lobos left on base.
UNM fell behind after Texas Tech put up three in the bottom of the second, but the Lobos answered in the next half inning with three runs of its own on RBI singles from Carl Stajduhar and Andre Vigil and an RBI groundout from Hayden Schilling.
The Lobos took the lead in the top of the fourth on a Jack Zoellner RBI double before Texas Tech ran off nine straight runs over the next four innings for the victory.
Andre Vigil paced UNM at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI while Danny Collier went 3-for-6 with two runs, Luis Gonzalez was 3-for-6 and Andrew Pratt went 2-for-3.
Reliever Austin Isenhart got the loss, going 1.1 innings and giving up four runs on five hits with one strikeout.
SCOUTING KANSAS STATE … The Wildcats head into Tuesday’s matchup hitting .257 as a team with a pair of players hitting above .300 in Will Brennan (.356) and Cameron Thompson (.329).
Kansas State’s top run producer has been Jake Scudder as he leads the team in home runs (nine), RBI (37) and doubles (nine) to go along with a .271 average (third on the team).
KSU on the mound this season has a 4.66 ERA – paced by weekend starters Justin Heskett (4-2, 2.88 ERA) and Parker Rigler (2-4, 3.47 ERA) and reliever Tyler Eckberg (3 saves, 1.69 ERA).
UNM BASEBALL NOTES
- UNM RACKING UP THE RUNS … The Lobos continue to put up impressive numbers as UNM sits in the top 10 in the nation in runs per game at seventh with 8.3 per game. UNM is also in the top 20 in the nation in average (.308 – 18th), on-base percentage (.412 – ninth) and slugging percentage (.477 – 18th) while the Lobos are third in the country in doubles (90) and second in doubles per game (2.57).
- PITCHER’S BEST FRIEND IS NO STRANGER TO THE LOBOS … UNM has shown the ability to end opponent rallies in a hurry this season as the Lobos are 10th in the nation in doubles plays turned (38) and eighth in the country in double plays per game (1.09).
- PATIENCE, MY FRIENDS, PATIENCE … The Lobos have shown this season they are more than willing to let an opponent get itself in trouble as UNM is 10th in the country in walks drawn with 197. Leading the way in walks drawn for UNM is Luis Gonzalez (34, fifth in the NCAA) and Jack Zoellner (27, 49th).
- 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 155 of the Lobos’ 156 games during his career, including the last 143 – 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
143 Carl Stajduhar, 2015-present
139 Antonio Fernandez, 1992-94
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
- 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 183 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
183 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 18-11 in his career, now tied with Schneider at No. 11 on the UNM all-time list.
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)
(18 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.
- 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 143 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 19-0-1