ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico baseball team are set to host Fresno State for a three-game conference series on Friday through Sunday at Santa Ana Star Field. First pitch of Friday and Saturday’s games is set for 2 p.m. (MT) and Sunday’s first pitch is set for 12 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
- New Mexico fell to No. 16 Arizona, 12-5, on Tuesday. This marked the Lobos’ first midweek matchup of the season. This was also the Lobos’ second ranked opponent they faced this season (No. 11 Oregon State on 2/18 & 2/20)
- The matchup started out in the Lobos favor as they were able to hold the Wildcats to only three runs through the first six innings, while New Mexico five runs in the same allotment of time.
- Late inning pitching struggles proved to sink the Lobos as the team allowed Arizona 9 runs in the seventh and eighth innings and were unable to come back from the deficit.
- Despite that, Lenny Junior Ashby went 2-for-4 and hit his third home run of the season and Miguel Reyes Jr turned in a solid outing as he went 2.1 innings and allowed just one run while striking out two.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
- New Mexico is trailing Fresno State 28-30-1 in the all-time series
- Fresno State played two midweek matchups this week, falling, 5-4, to Utah on Tuesday and losing to San Francisco, 10-9, on Wednesday. This makes the Bulldogs’ record 6-7 (0-0 MW) going into this weekend’s series.
- This series will be the Bulldogs’ first time playing outside of California this season as they have played all 13 games either at their home field in Fresno, a tournament in San Diego, a midweek at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, a midweek at CSU-Bakersfield, and a midweek at San Francisco.
- Zach Morgan leads the Fresno State with a .415 batting average with 22 hits, seven doubles, 11 RBI and seven runs.
- The Bulldogs’ Ixan Henderson has been named the MW Pitcher of the Week twice this season, including this week on March 7. He holds a 1.08 ERA and 2-1 record.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
- With eight triples so far, New Mexico leads the conference.
- Willie Cano leads the conference with two triples and .17 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 17 DP’s this season.
- The middle infield duo of Kamron Willman and Cole Posey account for 38 putouts and 83 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 freshmen.
- Kamron Willman (K-State transfer) leads the starters with a .304 batting average and 14 hits.
- Lenny Junior Ashby (Odessa College transfer) leads the Lobos with three homeruns and eight 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 over 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 hits the road for two-game midweek series at Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, on March 15-16. The Lobos then head to Wichita State for a three-game set from March 18-20 in Wichita, Kan.