Preview: Lobos look to keep momentum going vs. St. Bonaventure
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The winners of four straight games and off to a 6-1 start at the outset of the 2023 season, the New Mexico baseball team will look to keep the momentum going this weekend with a four-game series against St. Bonaventure at Santa Ana Star Field.
The Lobos are coming off a 3-0 series sweep of Northern Colorado in their 2023 home debut last weekend, with the final game of the originally-scheduled four-game set being canceled due to a windstorm.
New Mexico continues its longest home stand of the season with a first-time opponent, as this weekend will mark the first-ever meeting between the programs. St. Bonaventure (0-4) is coming off being swept by Middle Tennessee State in its 2023 season debut.
Lobo Baseball Weekend Schedule
Albuquerque, N.M. – Santa Ana Star Field (all times listed are Mountain)
Friday, March 3 – 2 p.m.
Saturday, March 4 – Noon (Doubleheader)
Sunday, March 5 – Noon
Watch Live: www.themw.com/watch
Live Stats: www.golobos.com/bsbstats
WEEKLY PROMOTIONS: This weekend’s series marks First Responder Appreciation weekend, as the Lobos will offer free admission to all first responders who show their badge at the gate. On Sunday, kids age 12 and under will receive free admission and will be allowed to run the bases after the game.
A LOOK AHEAD: After the weekend series against the Bonnies, UNM will face one of its toughest tests of the year with a road game at No. 24 Texas Tech (8-0) scheduled for next Tuesday, March 7. UNM will jump into conference play after that, hosting Air Force in a three-game series on March 10-12 to kick off the 2023 Mountain West schedule.
LOBOS LEAD NCAA IN BATTING: Through its first seven games of the season, UNM compiled a team batting average of .370 and as of March 2 ranked No. 1 in the NCAA. The Lobos’ average of 11.3 runs per game is also a top-10 national figure, ranking the team ninth entering the weekend series.
MORE MW HONORS: For the second week in-a-row, senior right-hander Riley Egloff was named the Mountain West Pitcher of the Week. This time he had some company, as Lobo third baseman Dylan Ditzenberger was named the Mountain West Player of the Week to give UNM three weekly awards in the first two weeks of the season.
NO ONE’S PERFECT: After going the first five games of the season without committing an error – a string of 47 consecutive innings – the Lobos finally had their first miscue in the second game of the series against the Bears. Through the first seven games of the year, UNM has committed just two errors for a fielding percentage of .992 which ranked them sixth in the NCAA as of March 2.
EGGS SUNNY SIDE UP: Egloff put forth another dominant outing in the series opener against Northern Colorado, striking out eight and walking one while allowing just one hit in five shutout innings of work to earn his second win of the season. Egloff lowered his ERA to 0.90 over his first two starts of the year, and has struck out 15 hitters while walking just two. Beginning with the final three innings of his first start of the year, Egloff carries a scoreless inning streak of 8.0 into his start on Friday.
HARDLY A DITZ: Ditzenberger earned the weekly award by virtue of pacing the Lobo offense out of the leadoff spot, where he has quickly become a fixture after transferring from Kansas. In his seven games this season Ditzenberger is hitting .519 (14-for-27) with 16 runs scored and nine RBIs. Entering the weekend, Ditzenberger ranked seventh in the NCAA in runs scored this season, with his 2.29 runs per game figure leading the nation. The sixth-year senior also has an intact reached base streak of 21 games, carrying over a string of 14 at the end of his career with the Jayhawks. Ditzenberger has also been perfect with the glove this season, handling all 14 of his chances at the hot corner without issue.
3 IN 5 FOR REED: By the fifth inning of UNM’s runaway victory last Friday, Reed Spenrath had already hit three home runs and driven in six. It was the transfer’s fifth-career multi-home run game and it upped his career home run count to 27. In just five innings, Spenrath jumped to No. 2 in the Mountain West in homers, and raised his slugging percentage to .654 as five of his six hits this year have gone for extra bases. He became the first Lobo to hit three home runs in a game since Braydon Runion achieved that feat on April 15, 2022.
ASHBY, DAVID LEAD MW IN RBIS: Lobo sluggers Lenny Junior Ashby and Jeffrey David have been at the heart of UNM’s potent offense, with each driving in 14 runs this year to lead the Mountain West and rank 36th nationally in RBIs. David is hitting a clean .400 with a double, two triples, and a home run, and he has reached base in all seven games this season. Ashby meanwhile is batting .393, and he carries a 13-game hitting streak into the series this weekend.
LOOK LIVELY, TRISTIN: Senior right-hander Tristin Lively put forth a winning effort for the second week in-a-row, allowing two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts in six innings of work last Saturday. Lively has tossed six frames in each of his two starts this year, and has 13 strikeouts against just one walk on the season.
BRAYDON DIGS THE LONG BALL: Senior rightfielder Braydon Runion homered in both ends of last Saturday’s doubleheader, collecting his first long balls of the 2023 season. The second-year Lobo now has 15 home runs in his UNM career, and he reached 31 overall in his collegiate career with his two homers last week. On a tear as of late, Runion went 7-for-11 with six RBIs and six runs scored overall in last week’s series to elevate his season batting average to .423.
DIXON CONNECTS ON FIRST LONG BALL AS A LOBO: UNM newcomer Devon Dixon has seen action in 6 of 7 games this season, primarily at second base, and last week got on the home run ledger with his first in a Lobo uniform and the seventh of his collegiate career. The Central Arizona College transfer was 3-for-5 with two doubles and four runs scored to go along with his homer in the rout of the Bears. On the season Dixon is batting .375 (6-for-16) while reaching base at a clip of .500 and slugging .688. He has provided the Lobos with a steady glove as well, playing perfect defense in 18 chances.
PIGFORD KEEPS PRODUCING: Enjoying the start of his career at his hometown university, Cal State Fullerton transfer and Farmington native Deylan Pigford has been a key producer with a slash line of .375/.483/.500 this spring. Providing a spark in the lower-middle portion of the lineup, Pigford has had multiple hits in four games and scored nine runs.
GALLEGOS EARNS FIRST UNM W: Contributing five strong innings for the second week in-a-row, junior right-hander Isaac Gallegos earned his first victory in a Lobo uniform last Saturday. Gallegos struck out four while walking just one, allowing two runs on two hits in an efficient 61-pitch outing.
OLSON RIPS FIRST HR: Junior Justin Olson hit his first home run of the year in Game 2 against Northern Colorado, which gave him RBIs in three consecutive games. Two of Olson’s four hits on the young season have gone for extra bases, as he owns a .571 slugging percentage entering this week’s series.
HOLLAND, SMITH PRODUCING BEHIND PLATE: Jake Holland had a career-high four RBIs in the final game of the series against the Bears, after hitting his first home run in a Lobo uniform in the series opener last Friday. Overall Holland is hitting .438 (7-for-16) this season and reaching base at a clip of .500. Smith drove in a pair of runs and had a hit in each of his two games last week, and is reaching base at .333 this spring.
MCBROOM EARNS SECOND SAVE: Brian McBroom threw the final three innings in the Lobos’ 11-3 win over Northern Colorado, claiming his second save of the season as he held the Bears to just one run. McBroom has shown exceptional command this spring, striking out eight while issuing just one walk in his eight innings of work across three appearances.
KINKADE BREAKS THROUGH: Konner Kinkade made the most of his at-bats last week, going 4-for-5 and reaching base in 7 of 8 plate appearances while scoring twice and driving in a run. His first hit last Friday was his first in a UNM uniform, and he played perfect defense in five chances as well.
WEISSENBORN KEEPS MOMENTUM GOING: Junior Chase Weissenborn built off his four-hit performance against Minnesota on Feb. 20, and went 5-for-9 with a double and a triple last week in his home debut. The Albuquerque native raised his batting average to .375, and he is reaching base at a clip of .429 this season.
STEINKAMP MAKES 2023 DEBUT: Veteran left-hander Arthur Steinkamp had a successful season debut on the mound, logging two shutout innings and allowing three hits and no walks on Saturday against the Bears.
JUST 5 PITCHES FOR JAREN: A windstorm in the scheduled finale against Northern Colorado spoiled the second start of the year for junior lefthander Jaren Jackson, who repeatedly had his hat blown off in the five pitch-outing before last Sunday’s game was called off. Jackson will get another shot this weekend, and is scheduled to pitch Game 2 on Saturday after a strong, five-inning outing on Feb. 20 in his UNM debut against Minnesota.
DEBUTS, FIRST HITS, MILESTONES: True freshmen Akili Carris and Dominic Felix made their collegiate debuts last week, and fellow freshman Caleb Herd picked up his first collegiate hit. Carris also had his first knock, and Felix collected his first collegiate RBI.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies
2023 Record: 0-4
Head Coach: Jason Rathbun
Series History: No prior meetings.
The Bonnies endured a tough opening weekend, and were out-scored 45-9 in their four losses to Middle Tennessee State University. St. Bonaventure hit .205 as a team with four doubles and one home run, with Adam Rankie leading the way at 5-for-15 (.333). Thomas Grilli had five of the team’s eight RBIs and the lone home run, while adding a double.
On the mound, the Bonnies posted an ERA of 12.09 and an opposing batting average of .346. Kyle Caringi and Andrew Ayers each threw a scoreless inning, while Liam Devine was the most effective starter allowing two runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings of work.