ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico baseball team host their in-state rival New Mexico State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. (MT) at Santa Ana Star Field. This marks the third of four Rio Grande Rivalry meetings between the two teams this season.
This is the first time since 2019 that the Rio Grande Rivalry returns to Albuquerque, at least in baseball. The teams didn’t play each other last season due to schedule restrictions or during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
LAST WEEK FOR THE LOBOS
- The Lobos return home after a three-game series against the second-best team in the conference, the Nevada Wolf Pack. New Mexico took one of the three games.
- New Mexico rallied for six runs in the top of the ninth but ultimately fell in game one on May 6 by a final score of 18-10. Lenny Junior Ashby and Kyle Landers each notched two hits apiece.
- The Lobos won the second game of the three-game set on May 7 by a final score of 17-10. Sean Stephens had a phenomenal day at the plate as he went 5-for-6 with three extra base hits (two doubles and a home run).
- New Mexico dropped the final game of the series on May 8 by a score of 13-4. Justin Olson hit two home runs in the game.
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
- New Mexico holds a 162-91 lead in the all-time series over New Mexico State, including a 76-33 record on their home field.
- The last time New Mexico hosted New Mexico State on April 16, 2019, the Aggies left with a 11-8 win in 10 innings.
- New Mexico State has a 18-26 record (8-16 in WAC) so far this season, after being swept by California Baptist this past weekend (May 6-8)
- Kevin Jimenez leads the Aggies’ starters with a .347 batting average with 58 hits and 38 runs while starting in all 44 games.
- The Aggies’ starting pitcher for Tuesday’s matchup, Cam Blazek, has a 7.47 ERA in 14 appearances (four starts). He holds a 2-3 record in that span.
BAKER-LIVINGSTON FINDS HIS GROOVE
- Freshman Benjamin Baker-Livingston is beginning to find his groove on the mound. He was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week on April 25, after a pair of good outings against Texas Tech and at UNLV the previous week.
- After two tough outings against Oregon State opening weekend and at Texas Tech mid-March, he has dominated the mound since.
- In the Lobos’ 11-10 walk-off win over No. 9 Texas Tech on April 19, he kept the hot-hitting Red Raiders to a single run on two hits while fanning three in 2.1 innings of relief.
- The Richardson, Texas, native completed 1.1 innings and allowed no runs on only three hits to the conference leading Rebels in New Mexico’s 13-11 series finale loss at UNLV on April 24.
RUNION RAKES
- After transferring from Texas Tech, Braydon Runion has recently emerged as one of the Lobos’ two sluggers this season, notching 10 home runs this season – right behind Lenny Junior Ashby’s 12.
- 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 32 starts and 35 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.
- 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 played a variety of roles for the Lobos.
- He started off the season as New Mexico’s Friday ace, but has recently moved to the closer spot. He has spotted a 6-5 record in nine starts and 13 appearances this season.
TOUCH ‘EM ALL ASHBY
- Lenny Junior Ashby is one of the Lobos biggest contributors with a .342 batting average, 64 hits, 34 runs and 51 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 27 extra base hits (14 doubles, one triple and team-leading 12 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 one of the Lobos’ key closers throughout the season.
- In 17 appearances, McBroom holds a 2-2 record and has notched three saves.
- The Oakley, Calif., native has pitched 39.0 innings and struck out 28 batters during that time. He holds opponents to a .321 batting average.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
- With 19 triples and .44 average per game so far, New Mexico leads the Mountain West.
- With 12 starts on the season, Brett Russell is tied for second in most starts.
- With four triples, Jeffrey David is third in the conference.
- Lenny Junior Ashby has 12 homeruns and .28 homeruns per game for third in the conference.
- Kyle Landers is fifth in the conference with 17 triples and fourth in the conference with .39 triples per game.
SEEING DOUBLE
- The Lobos are second in the nation in turning double plays with 51 DP’s and third in the nation with 1.11 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 314 assists and 167 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 12 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 .292 batting average with a team-leading 17 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.
- The Lobos surpassed their win total of 16 wins from last year with 11 more games to go. They currently have 18 wins on the season with eight games to go.
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 short and second, he has 55 putouts and 92 assists.
- Lenny Junior Ashby (Odessa College transfer) has contributed greatly to the squad with a .342 batting average, 51 RBI, 34 runs, 64 hits and 27 extra-base hits, being the only Lobo to start in all 46 games so far.
- Jeffrey David (Dallas Baptist transfer) has started in 43 of 46 games, notching 63 hits and 37 runs, while hitting .342 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 61.2 innings and 46 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 hit the road to Berkeley, Calif., for a three-game series against California on May 13-15.
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