Rio Grande Rivalry concludes with Tuesday tilt in Las Cruces
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Wrapping up the 2023 rendition of the Rio Grande Rivalry on Tuesday, the New Mexico baseball team heads south to face rival New Mexico State for the final time this season.
The Lobos (26-21) lead the season series between the teams 2-1, with New Mexico State entering the final midweek affair of the year with a record of 12-35. The game was originally scheduled for 6 p.m., but was adjusted to a 3 p.m. first pitch by mutual agreement of the coaching staffs.
Lobo Baseball Weekly Schedule
All times listed are Mountain Daylight Time
Tuesday, May 16 – 3 p.m. – at New Mexico State
Thursday, May 18 – 7 p.m. – at San Diego State
Friday, May 19 – 7 p.m. – at San Diego State
Saturday, May 20 – 2 p.m. – at San Diego State
MOUNTAIN WEST PLAYOFF PUSH: New Mexico remains alive in the final push for the Mountain West Conference playoffs, but must win its final three conference games of the season at San Diego State this weekend. If the Lobos can sweep the Aztecs on the road, they would clinch their first conference tournament berth since the 2017 season. One loss in San Diego would result in elimination from playoff contention.
LAST TIME OUT: The Lobos split a four-game series with Nevada over the weekend, in the final home games of the season at Santa Ana Star Field. New Mexico won the opener 9-5 and the finale 7-3, and dropped the two middle games 9-8 and 8-6.
LOBOS IN THE NCAA STAT RANKINGS: New Mexico continued to lead the NCAA in hitting, entering this week with a team batting average of .338 to rank first nationally. The Lobos also rank second in the country in slugging percentage at .578, fourth in hits with 596, fifth in doubles per game with 2.51 and in triples with 24, seventh in scoring with 9.1 runs per game, 14th in doubles with 118, 16th in runs with 429, 18th in home runs per game with 1.81, and 24th in on-base percentage at .414.
ASHBY ELEVATES BATTING AVERAGE: Lenny Junior Ashby matched his career high with four hits in the opening game against Nevada, and overall went 9-for-18 in the series with three home runs, seven RBIs, and six runs scored. Ashby upped his season home run count to nine, and surpassed 40 home runs in his collegiate career. Ashby ranks third in the conference in hitting at .383 and in on-base percentage at .454, and seventh in slugging at .597.
DAVID HAS 4-HIT GAME: Jeffrey David opened the series against Nevada going 4-for-4 and picked up his second multi-double game of the season. David also scored three runs in the game, before adding his Mountain West-leading fifth triple of the year on Saturday. David ranks 19th in the NCAA with his five triples this season.
DITZENBERGER STAYS IN TOP-10: Dylan Ditzenberger went 3-for-8 in the Nevada series, maintaining his season batting average at .437 which ranks him sixth in all of college baseball. The senior is the Mountain West’s leading hitter, and he ranks second in on-base percentage at .490 while slugging .563. Ditzenberger also stole a pair of bases last week, making him a perfect 6-for-6 on the season.
MR. HOLLAND’S OPS: Jake Holland matched his career high with three hits in the series finale, and just missed his 13th home run of the spring with a fly ball to center that was caught at the wall. Holland ranks third in the conference with a slugging percentage of .664, while batting .350 with 39 RBIs in 38 games played. Holland is 1 of 8 players in the league with an OPS north of 1.000, with his mark sitting at 1.044 entering the week.
OLSON SLUGS 12TH HR: Junior Justin Olson hit his 12th home run of the season on Sunday, and upped his RBI count to 29 in just 33 games played. Olson owns a slash line of .364/.510/.857 in 77 at-bats this spring, and he ranks tied for third in the conference with 12 home runs.
RUNION DOUBLES DOWN: Braydon Runion hit four more doubles over the weekend, pushing his season total to 22 which is tied for second in the conference and ranks him sixth in all of college baseball. Runion also hit his fourth triple and ninth home run of the season, and he is tied for third in the conference with 75 hits. Runion is also fourth in the conference with a batting average of .373 and fourth in slugging at .657.
SPENRATH MAINTAINS RBI LEAD: Reed Spenrath knocked in three more runs over the weekend, holding on to the top spot in the conference in that category with 62 on the season. The junior slugger is also tied for the conference lead with 18 home runs, and is the league leader in slugging at .739.
DIXON, WEISSENBORN AMAZE WITH GLOVES: Middle infielders Devon Dixon and Chase Weissenborn put on a defensive show all weekend long, combining to make 39 plays without committing a single error in the series against Nevada. Dixon had a career-high seven assists in the series opener, upping his career total to 286 in his three collegiate seasons. Weissenborn meanwhile approached 350-career assists, upping his three-year total to 342 with the Lobos. At the plate, Weissenborn had his third four-hit game of the season in the opener, and raised his season batting average to .315 by going 8-for-16 on the weekend.
JACKSON SUPERB IN FINALE: Jaren Jackson helped keep the Lobos’ playoff chances alive on Sunday, authoring 6 2/3 shutout innings on the way to his third win of the season. The left-hander had five strikeouts while allowing just four hits to keep the Wolf Pack at bay. The win was the 18th of his four-year collegiate career, and he upped his career strikeout total to 179.
STEINKAMP UPS SCORELESS INNING STREAK: Arthur Steinkamp delivered his fifth and sixth consecutive shutout appearances out of the bullpen, extending his scoreless inning streak to 11 2/3 frames dating back to April 28. The left-hander has been nearly untouchable for the last month, holding a WHIP of 0.51 since April 23. Steinkamp has now walked a batter during that span, and has issued just four free passes on the season. In 14 total appearances and 21 2/3 innings, Steinkamp holds a 1.66 ERA and a WHIP of 1.11.
EGLOFF EARNS 20TH WIN: In his final career appearance at Santa Ana Star Field, senior Riley Egloff earned his 20th collegiate win on Friday afternoon. The right-hander struck out seven hitters in 6 1/3 innings, making it seven wins on the season to put him atop the Mountain West leaderboard in that category. Overall in his five-year career, Egloff has struck out 217 hitters in 246 2/3 innings, while going 20-15 with a 5.55 ERA.
GALLEGOS SITTING ON 19 WINS, 275 KS: Junior Isaac Gallegos enters the week with 19 wins in his collegiate career, and 275 strikeouts across 217 2/3 innings including his two years at Trinidad State College. Gallegos matched his season high with seven innings in a no-decision on Saturday, and he has struck out 57 batters in 65 2/3 frames in his first season with the Lobos.
KINKADE HITS SECOND HR: Konner Kinkade ripped his second home run of the season off the foul pole in left on Sunday, helping solidify the Lobos’ 7-3 victory. It came directly after Olson’s home run, as the duo went back-to-back. Kinkade is hitting .318 and slugging .545 in 31 games played primarily off the bench this spring.
New Mexico State Aggies
2023 Record: 18-35, 9-21 WAC
Head Coach: Keith Zuniga (1st season)
Series History: New Mexico leads 166-92
In Las Cruces: New Mexico leads 63-49
First Meeting: 1948
Last Meeting: 5/2/2023
2023 Season Series: New Mexico leads 2-1
The Aggies were swept by Utah Valley last weekend, and enter Tuesday’s game on the heels of a five-game losing skid. After Tuesday’s game, New Mexico State closes the regular season with a three-game home series against St. Thomas.
Keith Jones II has led the Aggies all season offensively, with a batting average of .362 to go along with seven home runs, 11 doubles, and 22 RBIs. Christian Perez is the team’s top power hitter with 10 long balls and 34 runs batted in, and Kevin Jimenez leads the squad with 37 RBIs while hitting .331. As a team, NMSU bats .284 and is averaging 6.41 runs per game.
The Aggies have used nine different starting pitchers this spring, with Treyjen Meza leading the squad at 65 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings pitched. Tyler Hoeft has made nine starts and has 35 strikeouts in 38 innings, and Pablo Cortes has made six starts for the Aggies. The team’s top closer has been Matthew Maloney, who holds a 3.99 ERA with a team-high two saves. The NMSU pitching staff holds a 7.39 ERA and the opposition is hitting .328 off of it.