Preview: Lobos host San Jose State in 3-game series
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Continuing its nine-game home stand this weekend at Santa Ana Star Field, the New Mexico baseball team hosts San Jose State in a three-game series kicking off on Thursday night.
The Lobos continue conference play after Tuesday’s scheduled road game at New Mexico State was rescheduled for May 16 due to an unfavorable weather forecast. The scheduled game was the only road contest in an otherwise stretch of nine straight games in the Duke City. After this weekend’s Mountain West series, UNM will host NCAA Division II Colorado State-Pueblo on April 11-12 for two games during its bye week from conference action next week.
Lobo Baseball Weekend Schedule
Thursday, April 6 – 6 p.m. – San Jose State University
Friday, April 7 – 2 p.m. – San Jose State University
Saturday, April 8 – Noon – San Jose State University
WEEKLY PROMOTIONS: Thursday night is Aloha Night at the ballpark, with fans encouraged to wear their favorite Hawaiian shirts and attire. The Lobos will hold an on-field Easter egg hunt after Saturday’s series finale, with children ages 12 and under welcome to participate. Laguna Burger will also have a food truck on site for Saturday’s game.
LAST TIME OUT: New Mexico (15-11, 5-6 MW) is looking for a bounce back series after dropping three games in-a-row against San Diego State at home last weekend. The Lobos held their ground in the middle of the conference standings, entering this week in fourth place and trailing second-place San Jose State (13-10, 6-3) by just one game in the win column.
LOBOS IN THE NCAA STAT RANKINGS: One of the premier offensive teams in college baseball, the Lobos enter this week ranked third in the NCAA in batting average at .333, eighth in triples with 13, 11th in hits with 324, 13th in scoring with 9.3 runs per game, and 17th in slugging percentage at .536. The UNM pitching staff also ranks fifth in the country in walks-per-nine innings at 2.79, and the defense ranks 24th in the country with a fielding percentage of .980.
TRISTIN LOOKS LIVELY AGAIN: Tristin Lively turned in his second straight lights-out effort on Saturday, holding SDSU to one run in eight superb innings in a no-decision. Lively matched his season high with eight strikeouts for the second straight game, while issuing just one walk and allowing six total baserunners. Lively’s 2.14 ERA leads the Mountain West and ranks No. 40 in the NCAA, and his 39 strikeouts are tied for fifth-most in the conference.
DITZENBERGER’S STREAKS COME TO AN END: For the first time this season, standout third baseman Dylan Ditzenberger failed to reach base in the second game against the Aztecs, snapping a streak of 37 consecutive games aboard that began with his final 14 games at Kansas in 2022. Ditzenberger also snapped a 19-game hitting streak, but he continues to lead the Mountain West in batting average at .450 and on-base percentage at .500. Nationally, Ditzenberger ranks third in hits per game with 1.88, fourth in runs per game with 1.54, and ninth in batting average. He hit his second home run of the season in the series opener against SDSU, which extended his two streaks for the final time.
ASHBY NOTCHES 50TH DOUBLE: Lenny Junior Ashby recorded the 50th double of his collegiate career in the series opening against San Diego State, and went 5-for-13 overall in the series against the Aztecs. Ashby also hit his third home run of the season and the 35th of his collegiate career, and upped his RBI count to 29 this season which ranks him tied for third in the Mountain West Conference.
OLSON COMES THROUGH IN A BIG WAY: Making his fourth start of the season on Sunday, first baseman Justin Olson made the most of the opportunity and matched his career high with four RBIs. Olson hit a three-run home run, and then delivered a go-ahead RBI-single to temporarily give UNM the lead in the sixth inning. In 26 at-bats this spring, Olson holds a slash line of .346/.414/.615.
RUNION KEEPS RAKING: Braydon Runion put together a 5-for-12 weekend against SDSU, including a pair of doubles to give him nine on the season. Runion is slashing .383/.422/.598 this spring, and ranks third in the conference with 64 total bases.
PIGFORD HOMERS IN 2ND STRAIGHT GAME: Deylan Pigford made it two straight games with a home run for the third time in his collegiate career, and upped his season count to four long balls. Pigford ranks fourth in the conference with an OPS of 1.095, adding eight doubles and three triples to give him 15 extra-base hits among his 33 knocks this spring. Pigford also ranks second in the league in runs scored with 31, and is hitting .359 this season.
DAVID HOLDS MW RBI LEAD: At the midway point in the 2023 season, Jeffrey David is tied for the Mountain West lead with 30 RBIs while hitting out of the No. 2 spot in the Lobo batting order. David owns a slash line of .319/.363/.487, and has driven in multiple runs in seven games including a season-high six on Feb. 24 against Northern Colorado.
MR. HOLLAND’S OPS: Jake Holland is one of just nine players in the conference this spring to hold an on-base plus slugging mark north of 1.000, checking in at No. 7 in the conference at 1.032 while playing in 20 games. Holland is tied for third in the Mountain West with six home runs, and has driven in 22 through his 74 at-bats.
DIXON MAINTAINS BAT, GLOVE: Everyday second baseman Devon Dixon maintained his production both at the plate and defensively last week, collecting three more hits including a double to keep his batting average on the season at .287 and his slugging percentage at .525. Dixon also made 12 more defensive plays in the series, including another diving effort to take away a hit in the opener. He holds a solid .962 fielding percentage this spring.
SPEEDY STEPHENS MAKES A DIFFERENCE: Making his first start of the season on Sunday, Sean Stephens was a difference maker both at the plate and with his glove in center field. Stephens legged out an infield single on his way to reaching in 3 of 4 plate appearances, and he also made an acrobatic running catch on a dead sprint in center field. Stephens holds a .353 batting average in 17 at-bats this season.
EGLOFF STRONG IN DEFEAT: Despite taking the loss in the series opener, Riley Egloff turned in his third quality start of the season limiting SDSU to three runs in seven innings of work. Egloff upped his season strikeout total to 38, which ranks him eighth in the Mountain West, and he enters this week leading the league in innings pitched with 43 2/3.
GALLEGOS GOES 5 AGAIN: Despite a laborious outing on Sunday, starter Isaac Gallegos managed to get through five frames in the no-decision. The right-hander has gone at least five full innings in each of his six starts this year, and has struck out at least three hitters in each start as well to give him 29 punch outs total on the spring. Gallegos ranks second in the Mountain West with an opponents’ batting average of .203, and holds the No. 2 ERA on the team at 3.18.
San Jose State Spartans
2023 Record: 13-10, 6-3 MW
Head Coach: Brad Sanfilippo, 6th season
Series History: UNM leads 26-17-1
In Albuquerque: UNM leads 17-4
First Meeting: 3/13/1998
Last Meeting: 5/1/2022
After dropping the opening game of its road trip to Nevada last week, San Jose State rallied to win the series with consecutive one-run victories in Reno. The Spartans enter the weekend series in second place in the conference standings, and are in the midst of a season-long nine-game road stretch.
Four Spartans are hitting .300 or better on the year, with Dalton Bowling leading the team with four home runs and 25 RBIs and a .311 batting average. Charles McAdoo has the top average on the team at .324, and Jack Colette has a team-high six stolen bases. As a squad SJSU is hitting .272 while averaging 6.43 runs per game.
The Spartans have relied on the steady trio of Micky Thompson, Jonathan Clark, and Aaron Eden on the mound to start games this spring. Thompson has the top ERA at 3.58 in his 32 2/3 innings of work, while Clark has a team-high 38 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings of work. Darren Jansen leads the team with 10 appearances and three saves, while holding a 5.82 ERA. As a team SJSU has a 4.97 ERA and the opposition is hitting .255 against the pitching staff.