LAS VEGAS – The University of New Mexico baseball team travels to Las Vegas for a three-game conference series against the Mountain West Conference leader UNLV this Friday-Sunday. First pitch for Friday’s series opener is set for 7:05 p.m. (MT), while Saturday is set for 2:05 p.m. and Sunday is set for 1:05 p.m.
The Lobos and Rebels last went head-to-head earlier this month as New Mexico hosted UNLV for a three-game set on April 1-3. The Rebels went home with a three-game sweep.
LAST WEEK FOR THE LOBOS
- The Lobos are coming off an exciting 11-10 walk-off win over No. 9 Texas Tech, thanks to a Jeffrey David three-run homerun in the bottom of the ninth. Seven other Lobos had multi-hit games to help New Mexico take the win.
- This marks New Mexico’s second win over a ranked opponent this season, both coming in the past month. The Lobos previously defeated No. 11 Arizona by a score of 12-7 on March 23.
- On the mound, Benjamin Baker-Livingston had his best and longest outing yet as he struck out three batters and allowed a single run on two hits in 2.1 innings pitched.
- The Lobos’ Friday ace Riley Egloff came in to close out the game and got the final two outs in the ninth inning, earning his fifth win of the season.
- New Mexico was swept by the San Diego State Aztecs on their home field this past weekend.
- The Lobos dropped the first game on Thursday, April 14, by a final score of 10-3. Kamron Willman led the team as he went 3-for-4 with a double and a RBI.
- New Mexico lost a heartbreaker game two on Friday, April 15, by 14-13. Braydon Runion highlighted the night as he went 4-for-5 with three home runs. This was the first time a Lobo to hit three home runs in a single game since Carl Stajduhar against Air Force on May 6, 2017.
- The Lobos lost the final game of the series by a score of 11-8 on Saturday, April 16, despite battling back from a 9-1 deficit. The game was cut short after eight full innings played due to a drop-dead time cutoff for SDSU’s travel. Four Lobos – Jeffrey David, Kyle Landers, Lance Russell and Cole Posey – hit home runs in the matchup.
SCOUTING THE REBELS
- UNLV holds the 98-84 advantage over New Mexico in the all-time series, including 69-40 when playing in Vegas.
- The Rebels and Lobos first faced off in 1978, when New Mexico took a 5-4 victory.
- The squads last met earlier this month on April 1-3 as New Mexico hosted UNLV for a three-game set and the Rebels went home with a three-game sweep.
- UNLV has a 26-12 record (15-3 in MW) so far this season, after splitting a two-game midweek series with Loyola Marymount on Tuesday and Wednesday.
- The Rebels are led by Henry Zeisler who is hitting .424 this season with 59 hits and 49 RBI. He also leads the team with nine home runs.
- UNLV was picked to finish second in the conference with 29 total points and one first-place vote.
- The Rebels lead the nation in batting average (.341), doubles (88) and hits (490). UNLV also has a few individual national leaders in Joey Walls (21 doubles and .62 doubles per game) and Diego Alarcon (58 runs and 1.53 runs per game).
RUNION RAKES
- After transferring from Texas Tech, Braydon Runion has recently emerged as one of the Lobos’ two sluggers this season, notching eight home runs this season – right behind Lenny Junior Ashby’s nine.
- Runion hit three home runs on April 15 against San Diego State, becoming the first Lobo to connect for three jacks in a single game since Carl Stajduhar on May 6, 2017.
- Despite missing a few games at the beginning of the season, Runion has stepped up since then, earning himself 26 starts and 29 total games played.
- The Florence, Ky., native also hit a solo home run against his previous team – the Red Raiders – on March 16.
THE FIGHT IN THE DOG PREVAILS
- New Mexico has notched two huge wins against top-15 teams in the past month, including a 12-7 win over then-No. 11 Arizona on March 23 and a 11-10 victory over No. 9 Texas Tech on April 19.
- After losing the first matchup against the Wildcats earlier in the season in Tucson, the Lobos got their revenge as they hosted then-No. 11 Arizona and took the victory, 12-7.
- The score and lead jumped back and forth through the first two innings, but then the Lobos had an offensive explosion for six runs in the bottom of the fourth.
- Lobo relief pitching came in clutch as the five pitchers to get some innings of relief allowed only two runs through the final six innings.
- 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.
- The Arizona win marked the Lobos first win over a ranked opponent since a 12-9 victory over then-No. 11 Texas Tech on April 3, 2019.
- The Lobos then defeated No. 9 Texas Tech on a 11-10 walk-off win, thanks to a Jeffrey David three-run homerun in the bottom of the ninth.
- On the mound, Benjamin Baker-Livingston had his best and longest outing yet as he struck out three batters and allowed a single run on two hits in 2.1 innings pitched.
- The last time the Lobos defeated the Red Raiders was on April 3, 2019, when New Mexico took a 12-9 win over the then-No. 11 Texas Tech squad. New Mexico last won a matchup against a top-ten team on April 25, 2017, against none other than the then-No. 6 Red Raiders, defeating Tech by a score of 16-5.
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 5-4 record in nine starts this season.
TOUCH ‘EM ALL ASHBY
- Lenny Junior Ashby is one of the Lobos biggest contributors with a .340 batting average, 49 hits, 23 runs and 35 RBI.
- 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.
- With a total of 23 extra base hits (13 doubles, one triple and team-leading nine home runs) this season, Ashby has established himself as New Mexico’s power hitter.
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 14 appearances, McBroom holds a 2-1 record and has notched three saves.
- The Oakley, Calif., native has pitched 34.1 innings and struck out 26 batters during that time. He holds opponents to a .304 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.
- His second win came in the Lobos’ 4-3 win over Fresno State on April 9. His outing consisted of 3.0 innings of scoreless ball, allowing just two hits and fanning two.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
- With 17 triples and .47 average per game so far, New Mexico leads the conference.
- With nine starts on the season, Riley Egloff and Brett Russell are tied for first with seven other pitchers in the conference for most starts.
- With three triples, Willie Cano and Jeffrey David are second in the conference.
SEEING DOUBLE
- The Lobos lead the nation in turning double plays with 44 DP’s this season, with a second-best 1.22 double plays turned per game.
- The middle infield consists of a combination of either Kamron Willman, Chase Weissenborn, Cole Posey or Lance Russell. All together, the four of them account for 248 assists and 133 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 four out this season, one vs Holy Cross, one at Wichita State, one at Air Force and one vs San Diego State.
- The Lobos have caught ten 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.
- This season, Landers has a .298 batting average with a team-leading 13 doubles.
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. Playing mostly short and occasionally second, he has 41 putouts and 73 assists.
- Lenny Junior Ashby (Odessa College transfer) has contributed greatly to the squad, leading the team with 35 RBI and 23 extra-base hits while batting .340 with 49 hits on the season, starting in all 36 games.
- Jeffrey David (Dallas Baptist transfer) is the only other Lobo to start in all 36 games, notching a team-high .342 batting average, 51 hits and 28 runs.
- Owen Loesch (Seminole State JC transfer) and Brian McBroom (Howard College transfer) have been assets out of the bullpen for New Mexico, combining for 50.0 innings and 37 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 return home for a four-game homestand at Santa Ana Star Field next week. The team will host GCU on Tuesday, April 26, at 6 p.m., before hosting a three-game series against San Jose State on April 29-May 1.
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