WICHITA, Kan. – The University of New Mexico baseball team is continuing their spring break road trip with a three-game series against Wichita State on Friday through Sunday. First pitch for the Friday series opener is set for 5 p.m. (MT), Saturday’s game is set for 1 p.m. and Sunday’s series finale is set for 9 a.m. at Eck Stadium.
HEAVY HITTIN’ ASHBY
- Lenny Junior Ashby leads the Lobos with five home runs this season, hitting three last week.
- He was named the MW Player of the Week on March 8 after hitting three jacks and a double for a .444 batting average last week.
- Not only is Ashby a power hitter, he’s also the Lobos’ RBI leader with 15 so far. He has 20 hits, including nine for extra bases (four doubles and five home runs).
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE LOBOS
- New Mexico fell to Texas Tech in a two-game midweek series on Tuesday and Wednesday.
- The Lobos fell by a score of 28-2 on Tuesday and by 11-5 on Wednesday.
- In Wednesday’s matchup, the Lobos led the Red Raiders through the fifth to seventh innings, but ultimately lost after giving up seven runs in the eighth.
- Braydon Runion also launched his second home run of the season, this time against his former teammates at Tech.
SCOUTING THE SHOCKERS
- New Mexico is trailing Wichita State, 9-22, in the all-time series, including a 1-12 record in away games.
- The Shockers and Lobos first faced off on March 9, 1984, when the Lobos took a 13-7 win over the Shockers.
- The two teams last went head-to-head on Feb. 28, 2016, when New Mexico beat Wichita State, 8-6.
- The Shockers have an 8-8 record so far this season.
- Wichita State did not play any midweek games this week, but took two of three games against South Dakota State last weekend (March 11-13).
- Sawyre Thomhill leads the Shockers with a .328 batting average with 20 hits and four doubles.
- Wichita State’s RHP Jace Kaminska and infielder Andrew Stewart were both named to the American Athletic Conference’s weekly honor roll earlier this week. Kaminska picked up his first win of the season in a 5-2 victory over South Dakota State on March 11. Stewart went 8-for-15 at the plate with five runs and five RBI last week.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
- With 10 triples and .59 average per game so far, New Mexico leads the conference.
- Willie Cano leads the conference with two triples.
- With four starts on the season, Riley Egloff, Brett Russell and Tristin Lively are tied for first with 12 other pitchers in the conference for most starts.
SEEING DOUBLE
- The Lobos lead the nation in turning double plays with 22 DP’s this season, averaging a nation-leading 1.29 double plays turned per game.
- The middle infield duo of Kamron Willman and Cole Posey account for 38 putouts and 84 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. He threw out another this past weekend against Fresno State.
- During the Holy Cross series, Johnny (Shane) Podsednik also threw out a Crusader at second base.
- The Lobos have caught six 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) has been an asset in the middle infield for the Lobos. At short, he has 23 putouts and 40 assists.
- Lenny Junior Ashby (Odessa College transfer) leads the Lobos with a .313 batting average, 20 hits, five homeruns and 15 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 23.2 innings and 17 strikeouts. McBroom also notched his first win and second save of the season last week against Fresno State.
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 a midweek matchup against No. 16 Arizona on March 22.
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