SURPRISE, Ariz. – The University of New Mexico baseball team is set to open their season in the Sanderson Ford Collegiate Classic at Surprise Stadium for the fifth season in a row. The Lobos take on Oregon State at noon (MT) on Opening Day Friday before a quick turnaround to face Gonzaga at 5 p.m. the same day. The squad will then face Gonzaga at 5 p.m. on Saturday and close out opening weekend against Oregon State at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
A BROWN NEW ERA
- With the retirement of 14-year Lobo coach and 34-year NM coach Ray Birmingham at the conclusion of the spring 2021 season, the program went on the hunt to find its next coach
- In July of 2021, Tod Brown was hired to fill that role.
- A native of Arizona, Brown returns home to the southwest after spending the past 14 years as North Dakota State’s head coach, earning a 341-350 record during that time
SOMETHING TO PROVE
- Coming off a 16-25 record, the Lobos finished sixth in the conference last season, preceding only San Jose State
- The squad was voted to finish sixth in the preseason conference poll
- With an almost completely new coaching staff and roster, the Lobos are hoping to turn things around
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
- New Mexico’s 2022 squad includes 18 newcomers – three DI transfers, 12 JUCO transfers, and three true freshman.
- Of the three DI transfers, two hail from Power 5 schools (Kansas State and Texas Tech), along with Missouri Valley Conference winner Dallas Baptist.
- 11 transfers from highly regarded junior colleges also join the team, hailing from Yavapai College, Odessa College, St. John’s River State CC, Seminole State JC, Wabash Valley CC, Howard College and Lamar CC
- The squad also welcomes three true freshman, all three from the state of Texas
LIVELY UP THE PLACE
- Tristin Lively was named to the nine-player Preseason All-Mountain West team on February 10. The all-conference team is voted on by coaches around the league.
- Lively has the second-best ERA of returning starting pitchers for the Lobos (4.59 ERA in the spring of 2021.
- In 33.1 innings of work last season, he struck out 36 batters and held opponents to a .186 batting average.
SCOUTING THE BEAVERS
- Oregon State ended the 2021 season with a 37-24 overall record, ending their season against Dallas Baptist in the NCAA Fort Worth Regional final round.
- The Beavers’ LHP Cooper Hjerpe will oppose UNM’s RHP Tristin Lively to open up both teams’ seasons at noon on Friday. Hjerpe was named to the Preseason All-America Second Team by Baseball America after a 4.21 ERA and 98 strikeouts last season.
- OSU’s hitting leader Jacob Melton returns, coming off a season in which he had a .404 batting average, 40 hits, 25 RBI and 18 runs, along with five doubles, three triples and six homeruns.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
- Gonzaga ended its 2021 season with a 34-19 record, winning the West Coast Conference title and advancing to the NCAA Eugene Regional, eventually falling to LSU to get knocked out.
- The Bulldogs’ RHP Gabriel Hughes will oppose the Lobos’ RHP Riley Egloff on Friday’s 5 p.m. matchup. Hughes was named Prospective Live’s Preseason All-America First Team after earning a 3.23 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 61.1 innings pitched in the 2021 season.
- GU lost its top three hitters to the draft or graduation, but return their fourth-best hitter Grayson Sterling. He held a .282 batting average in 2021 season with 40 hits, 23 RBI and 27 runs.
ON DECK
- The Lobos host Holy Cross on Feb. 25-27 for their home opening series at Santa Ana Star Field.
- The squad then travels to San Jose, Calif., to open up the Mountain West Schedule against the San Jose State Spartans on March 4-6.
To keep up with all things Lobo baseball, follow @UNMLoboBaseball on Twitter and Instagram.