LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The University of New Mexico baseball team heads down south to face New Mexico State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. (MT). The midweek matchup marks the first of four meetings between the in-state rivals this season.
LAST WEEK FOR THE LOBOS
- The Lobos started off the week with a huge 12-7 win over then-No. 11 Arizona on March 23. This marked the Lobos first win over a ranked opponent since April 3, 2019 (12-9 win over then No.11 Texas Tech).
- Will Armbruester notched his first save of the season as he pitched the final three innings, keeping the power-hitting Wildcats to no runs on just three hits.
- Offensively, Lance Russell led the ‘Bos with a 4-for-6 outing with two runs and two RBI, hitting a single, a double and his first home run of the season. He was just a triple short of the cycle in his outstanding day at the plate.
- Justin Olson launched a grand slam in the Lobos’ big six-run fourth inning, his first home run in the Lobo uniform. His grand slam was the first Lobo grand slam since Carl Stajduhar vs. San Diego State on May 26, 2017. Nearly five years since the last time it happened.
- New Mexico then took two out of three games at Air Force on March 25-27.
- The Lobos fell in game one on March 25 by a score of 17-2. Braydon Runion hit his fourth home run of the season (and first of the series) as he went 2-for-4.
- The team bounced back in game two, taking a 11-5 win over the Falcons on March 26. Runion hit his fifth home run on the season and second in the series and Lenny Junior Ashby hit his seventh home run of the season. Brett Russell turned in his best start yet as he allowed no runs on just three hits and fanned three in 5.2 innings pitched.
- New Mexico then secured the series win over Air Force with a 12-7 victory on March 27. Tristin Lively earned his first win of the season and Aaron Makil earned his first save of the season as he allowed no runs on three hits to shut down the Falcons in the final 3.1 innings pitched.
- Jeffrey David led the team with a 5-for-5 outing, including three runs, two RBI, two doubles and a triple. Willie Cano also went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI, while hitting his first home run of the season and hitting just a triple shy of the cycle. Cole Posey notched his first home run of the season in the win.
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
- New Mexico holds a 160-91 lead in the all-time series over New Mexico State, including a 62-49 away record.
- The Aggies and Lobos first faced off in 1948, when New Mexico took a 9-2 victory.
- The squads last met on April 16, 2019, when the Lobos fell, 11-8, to the Aggies in 10 innings.
- New Mexico State has a 10-11 record (2-7 in WAC) so far this season, after being swept by California Baptist in a three-game series this past weekend.
- Gunner Antillon leads the Aggies’ starters with a .419 batting average with 26 hits, 17 runs, 16 RBI, while starting in 16 games.
- The Falcons’ starting pitcher for Tuesday’s matchup, Cade Swenson, has a 4.15 ERA in five appearances (one start).
SUNNY SIDE UP
- Riley Egloff was named the MW Pitcher of the Week on March 21 after a career outing against Wichita State on March 18.
- Egloff turned in his best outing in the Lobo uniform against the Shockers, shutting down Wichita State in a career-high eight innings while fanning a career-high nine batters, allowing just four hits for no runs.
- The Littleton, Colo., native has earned his spot as New Mexico’s Friday ace, spotting a 3.97 ERA and 4-1 record in six starts this season.
TOUCH ‘EM ALL ASHBY
- Lenny Junior Ashby leads the Lobos with seven home runs this season.
- The Oranjestad, Aruba, native was named the MW Player of the Week on March 14 after hitting three jacks and a double for a .444 batting average the week of March 7.
- Not only is Ashby a power hitter, he’s also the Lobos’ RBI leader with 24 so far. He has 32 hits, including 14 for extra bases (six doubles, one triple and seven home runs).
- Overall, he has a .337 batting average with 17 runs, 12 walks and 37 putouts, starting all 24 games in left field.
END OF GAME CLEANUP
- Brian McBroom, a transfer from Howard College, has established himself as the Lobos’ key closer through the first month of the season.
- In nine appearances, McBroom holds a 1-0 record and has notched three saves.
- The Oakley, Calif., native has pitched 21.2 innings and struck out 19 batters during that time. He holds opponents to a .287 batting average.
- He earned his first save against Holy Cross on Feb. 25, after going 4.0 innings and allowing two runs on three hits while striking out two.
- McBroom notched his second save against Fresno State on March 11, keeping the Bulldogs scoreless on three hits while fanning one in three innings.
- Two days later, he earned his first win of the season on March 13 against Fresno State as he had a 2.2 inning outing, allowing one run on four hits and fanning four.
- His most dominant outing came in the Lobos’ 4-0 shutout win of Wichita State on March 18. He pitched the final inning of the shutout, fanning three straight batters swinging for a perfect three up-three down inning.
- McBroom’s third save came on the 12-9 win over Wichita State on March 19 in which he pitched the final three innings and allowed two runs on three hits while striking out three to ensure the series win.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
- With 14 triples and .58 average per game so far, New Mexico leads the conference.
- With six starts on the season, Riley Egloff, Brett Russell and Tristin Lively are tied for first with 8 other pitchers in the conference for most starts.
- With three triples, Willie Cano is tied for first in the conference with two others.
- With two shutouts, New Mexico is also tied for the conference lead in that category.
- The team is tied for first with 11 sacrifice flies on the season.
SEEING DOUBLE
- The Lobos lead the nation in turning double plays with 32 DP’s this season, averaging a nation-leading 1.33 double plays turned per game.
- The middle infield consists of either Kamron Willman or Chase Weissenborn at short and Cole Posey or Lance Russell at second base. All together, the four of them account for 174 assists and 88 putouts.
DONT RUN ON THE ‘BOS
- Catcher Cody Holtz threw out three Spartans runners trying to steal second base in the conference-opening San Jose State series. He threw out another against Fresno State.
- Johnny (Shane) Podsednik has thrown three out this season, one vs Holy Cross, one at Holy Cross and one at Air Force.
- The Lobos have caught eight 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 seven homeruns and 24 RBI, starting in all 24 games.
- Jeffrey David (Dallas Baptist transfer) is the only Lobo to start in all 24 games. He leads the team with 33 hits, 19 runs scored and a .340 batting average.
- Owen Loesch (Seminole State JC transfer) and Brian McBroom (Howard College transfer) have been assets out of the bullpen for New Mexico, combining for 30.2 innings and 25 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 Lobos will host conference leader UNLV for a three-game series from Friday-Sunday at Santa Ana Star Field. First pitch for Friday’s series opener is set for 6 p.m., as well as Saturday’s game. The series with the Rebels will close out on Sunday at noon.
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