ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos host the Colorado State Rams in their penultimate home MW series, with the two-game series set to start Saturday at 2 p.m. Sunday’s game will be at noon with both games available to watch on the Mountain West Network with live stats to follow along.
Saturday will be UNM’s Bark in the Park game with fans encouraged to bring their dogs.
The series marks the end of a five-game homestand for New Mexico with one home series left against Nevada April 28-30.
The Lobos are 6-5 at home this season and are outhitting their opponents .337 to .299 and in hits 100-94. In games played at Lobo Softball Field, UNM is 4-1 when scoring in the first inning and 3-1 when scoring first. The Lobos are 5-0 when leading after four innings, 6-1 when leading after five and 5-0 when leading after six. UNM is also 5-1 when hitting at least one home run and has outhit its opponent in all six wins.
UNM enters the weekend against CSU 16-24 on the season, 3-9 in the MW, while CSU is 20-14, 6-7 in the MW. The Rams enter the series after splitting their series with Utah State on Wednesday (L, 6-0 and W, 7-2). CSU dropped its series with SJSU (1-2) and UNLV (1-2) and opened conference with a series win over SDSU (2-1) and split its two games with Boise State. CSU is hitting .308 in conference games with 88 runs and 118 hits (20 doubles, six triples, nine home runs), which is second in the MW in batting average and hits and third in runs scored.
BY THE NUMBERS
On the season, UNM is 11-2 when scoring first and 13-2 when scoring in the 1st inning. The Lobos are 11-1 when leading after the 4th, 9-1 when leading after the 5th and 11-0 when leading after the 6th.
The Lobos have scored 10+ runs in five games this season with a season-high 15 runs and a season-high 18 hits in game 3 at Utah State. UNM is 4-1 when scoring 10+ runs.
On the season, UNM leads the MW in hits (312) and third in total bases (447). UNM is fourth in batters struck out (191) and leads in fielding double plays (18).
UNM is 17th in the NCAA in double plays per game (0.46), 50th in batting average (.301), 60th in doubles (45), 72nd in on-base percentage (.372) and 80th in slugging percentage (.427).
Rachael Hathoot is fourth in the MW in batting average (.380) and hits (41) and tied for third in total bases (64). Hathoot is one of three Lobos in the top 10 in batting average with Peyton Robinson sixth at .370 and Keyannah Chavez 10th at .358. Chavez is sixth in on-base percentage (.449) and third in runs scored (31), while Robinson leads the conference in hits with 44 and sac bunts at eight.
Amber Linton leads the MW in batters struck out (138), 26 more than the 2nd-highest pitcher, and innings pitched (129.0). She is tied in wins (10).
Amber Linton is 28th in the NCAA in strikeouts and 27th in innings pitched.
Rachael Hathoot is sixth in the NCAA in triples (6) and 12th in triples per game (0.15).
MIXING UP THE LINEUP
UNM has used 35 different lineup combinations this season, using only the same batting order in the first two games, the same lineup in both games on March 11 against Buffalo and Texas Tech and the same lineup in a four-game stretch – the final two games against the Spartans, the game against NMSU and the first game at Fresno State.
The Lobos have had three different players hit leadoff, five different players hit second, eight different players hit third, six different players in the cleanup spot, eight different players hit fifth, 10 different players hit sixth, 11 different players hit seventh, 10 different players hit eighth and six different players hit ninth.
Peyton Robinson has hit leadoff in 38 games, with Keyannah Chavez second in 18 games and Ashley Archuleta second in 14 games including nine of the last 11 games, Rachael Hathoot third in 26 games and Lauren Garcia has hit in the cleanup spot in 20 games. Emma Bramson has hit fifth in 12 games, Chloe Yeatts sixth in 11 games, Maddie Boldt seventh in 15 games and eighth in 14 games and Jenna Trim ninth in 16 games.
When it comes to the lineup per position, the Lobos have had just three players start all 40 games at the same position: Rachael Hathoot (shortstop), Keyannah Chavez (left) and Peyton Robinson (center).
Five different players have started at catcher, six different players have started at first, three different players have started at third and in right and six different players have been the DP.
UP NEXT
The Lobos return to the road to face San Diego State April 21-23.