TUCSON, Ariz. – The University of New Mexico baseball team is traveling to Tucson, Ariz., to face the No. 16 Arizona Wildcats on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. (MT) at Hi Corbett Field.
This marks the Lobos’ first midweek matchup of the 2022 season. This also marks the second ranked opponent New Mexico has faced this season, after facing then-No. 11 Oregon State in the Sanderson Ford Collegiate Classic during Opening Weekend.
The last time the Wildcats and Lobos faced off was on February 27, 2019, when New Mexico took a 5-4 victory over Arizona.
LAST TIME OUT
- After winning their conference opener against San Jose State in shutout 5-0 fashion, the Lobos dropped the last two games of the series to Spartans.
- New Mexico’s starting rotation of RIley Egloff, Brett Russell and Tristin Lively all had fantastic outings over the weekend.
- Egloff allowed no runs on five hits while striking out seven betters in 6.0 innings. Lively struck out three and allowed no runs in 4.2 innings. B. Russell allowed just one run and struck out eight batters in 6.2 innings.
- At the plate, Cody Holtz led the Lobos as he went 2-for-6 with a double, a run and three walks. He also threw out three runners trying to steal second base throughout the three game series.
- Braydon Runion notched his first home run as a Lobo in the third game of the series.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
- Arizona is ranked No. 16 in D1Baseball’s poll, released on March 7.
- The Wildcats are coming off a series loss to Texas State at home, in which they dropped the last two of a three-game series against the Bobcats.
- Catcher Daniel Susac leads the nation with nine doubles this season.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
- With eight triples so far, New Mexico leads the conference.
- Willie Cano leads the conference with two triples and .18 triples per game.
- With two wins on the season, Riley Egloff is tied for first in the conference
SEEING DOUBLE
- The Lobos lead the nation in turning double plays with 16 DP’s this season.
- The middle infield duo of Kamron Willman and Cole Posey account for 36 putouts and 79 assists combined.
DONT RUN ON THE LOBOS
- Over last weekend at San Jose State, catcher Cody Holtz threw out three Spartans runners trying to steal second base.
- During the Holy Cross series, Johnny (Shane) Podsednik also threw out a Crusader at second base.
- The Lobos have caught five stealing so far this season.
A BROWN NEW ERA
- In July of 2021, Tod Brown was hired as the Lobos new head coach to fill the role of 14-year former UNM coach Ray Birmingham, who retired at the conclusion of the 2021 season.
- 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
LANDERS ON BOBBY BRAGAN WATCH LIST
- Senior first baseman/designated hitter Kyle Landers was named to the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List prior to the start of the season.
- He held a .293 batting average with 11 doubles, a triple and a homerun for a .467 slugging percentage last season (2021).
- He was the conference batting champ with a .417 batting average and .567 slugging percentage in the shortened 2020 season.
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.
- Kamron Willman (K-State transfer) leads the starters with a .302 batting average and 13 hits.
- Lenny Junior Ashby (Odessa College transfer) leads the Lobos with two homeruns and seven RBI.
- Owen Loesch (Seminole State JC transfer) and Brian McBroom (Howard College transfer) have been assets out of the bullpen for New Mexico, combining for 15 innings and 10 strikeouts.
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.
I’M THE CAPTAIN NOW
- Prior to the start of the season, the 2022 squad voted on the team captains.
- The captains were selected solely by the student-athletes.
- Newcomers Kamron Willman and Cody Holtz, along with returner Adam Schneider, were named the 2022 team captains
ON DECK
The squad returns home to host Fresno State in a three-game conference series this weekend, March 11-13.