Lobos Welcome South Dakota State for Home Opening Weekend Feb. 22-24
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico Baseball opens up Santa Ana Star Field this weekend, with the Lobos (2-2) playing host to South Dakota State (2-2) for two games and a doubleheader Feb. 22-24.
Thursday’s matchup with the Jackrabbits will be the first of 30 home games at Santa Ana Star Field for the Lobos, who were picked to finish fifth in the MW Coaches’ Poll ahead of the season – the highest preseason poll ranking of Brown’s tenure at UNM. They’re looking to build off a 2023 season that saw them post the most wins (26) since 2017 while ranking among the best in the nation on offense (.328 team batting average, No. 3 in NCAA D-I) and improving from a 9.06 ERA as a team in Brown’s first season to a 5.95 — the program’s lowest in a single season since 2016.
THIS WEEKEND’S PROMO
Fans who attend this weekends’ series at Santa Ana Star Field can be among the first to get their hands on this year’s 2024 Baseball Schedule Poster upon entry.
2024 Lobo Baseball Schedule posters have arrived! Come pick yours up at this weekend’s games as part of our Home Opening Weekend promo!
𝐯𝐬. 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐚𝐤𝐨𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐭.
🗓️Feb. 22-24
🏟️Santa Ana Star Field
🎟️BUY TICKETS: https://t.co/Jdu18ueXqj#GoLobos pic.twitter.com/4ZHCxA4t1H— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) February 21, 2024
Thursday’s Home Opener and Friday’s Game Two are both set for a 2 p.m. start, with Saturday’s doubleheader action beginning at noon, with the second game starting roughly 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first. All four games will be streamed via the Mountain West Network at GoLobos.com/Watch. Follow @UNMLoboBaseball on socials for game day updates, behind-the-scenes content and more.
HOME OPENING WEEKEND: VS. SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
Feb. 22-24 | Albuquerque, N.M. | Santa Ana Star Field
THURS, FEB. 22 – 2 p.m.
Probable Starters: RHP Jaren Jackson vs. RHP Nic McCay
FRI, FEB. 23 – 2 p.m.
Probable Starters: RHP David Lopez vs. RHP Arlen Peters
SAT, FEB. 24 (DH) – 12 p.m.
Probable Starters (Game 1): RHP Ben Baker-Livingston vs. RHP Jake Goble
Probable Starters (Game 2): TBA vs. RHP Will Kent
ALL-TIME SERIES
UNM is 22-3 against South Dakota State all-time and has won six straight against the Jackrabbits, but the two teams have faced each other in over 40 years. Their last matchup was a 15-2 Lobo win on March 15, 1982. All 25 games between the two teams have been played in Albuquerque.
THROUGH FOUR GAMES / LAST TIME OUT
The Lobos sit at .500 after their season-opening weekend at Surprise Stadium, with losses to No. 7 Oregon State (15-6) and Minnesota (11-2) and a pair of wins over CSU Bakersfield on Saturday (4-3) and Monday (6-2). A pair of newcomers in the outfield lead UNM in batting average through four games — Tye Wood (.375) and Will Asby (.400) – after a weekend in which 14 different players got multiple at-bats. After a huge weekend in his first appearances as a Lobo, Asby leads the team in RBI (4) and slugging (1.000), ranking fifth and second in the conference in those two categories, respectively.
Two homers from Asby and another from McAlister powered the Lobos’ first win (4-3) over CSU Bakersfield on Saturday, with Brian McBroom slamming the door on a comeback with two hitless frames of relief to earn his first save of the season. UNM controlled the game a different way in the rematch, squeezing out six runs – all on three singles, two walks and a grounder – and getting a runner in scoring position in seven consecutive frames while shutting out the Roadrunners until the top of the ninth for a 6-2 win.
UNM’s pitching depth showed promise over the weekend, with six different relievers – two of them making their D-I debuts – recording outings of at least 1 1/3 innings without being tagged for an earned run. Lobo pitchers only issued 18 walks to 30 strikeouts over 34 innings of work.
The Lobos’ defense has also been productive, turning six double plays in four games – good for No. 3 in the nation in total DP’s and No. 13 in double plays per game – while posting a .994 fielding percentage that ranks No. 1 in the MW and No. 12 nationally.
Despite batting .209 through four games, three Lobos are tied for the league lead in walks with three – Ethan Ott, Khalil Walker and Reed Spenrath. Ott has yet to finish a game without getting on base, drawing base on balls in all three at-bats against CSU Bakersfield on Monday for two RBI. UNM ranks No. 33 in the nation in walks.
SEASON-OPENING NOTES / EARLY RETURNS
– UNM looks to improve its standing in the Mountain West for a third consecutive season – the Lobos finished sixth (10-20 MW) in Brown’s first season as head coach in 2022 and narrowly missed out on the conference tournament with a fifth-place finish (13-17 MW) in 2023.
– The Lobos’ offense in 2023 was one of their most productive in recent memory – UNM’s .328 team batting average was the third-best in the NCAA and best in the Mountain West, as well as the Lobos’ best since 2013.
– UNM’s 26-25 record in 2023 was the most wins since 2017 and first winning season since then (not counting UNM’s 14-4 record in the canceled COVID season of 2020).
– Reed Spenrath has been named to the Mountain West Baseball Preseason All-Conference Team, with the Lobos picked fifth in the preseason poll as voted on by the league’s coaches. Spenrath was named to D1Baseball.com’s Top 50 First Baseman rankings last week, coming in at No. 46 in the nation. He was named one of three captains for this year’s Lobos squad along with fellow seniors Chase Weissenborn and Brett Russell.
SCOUTING THE JACKRABBITS
South Dakota State is 2-2 after a four-game series to open the season against New Mexico State in Las Cruces, dropping the first two (8-6, 13-9) before winning the next two (8-5, 11-10) to secure the series split. Five different Jackrabbits batters hit above .300 in the series – Dawson Parry (.615), Reece Anderson (.571), Jess Bellows (.500), Bryce Ronken (.333) and Cael Frost (.316) – and they’re hitting .266 as a team while their pitching staff has a 7.75 team ERA through 33 2/3 innings of work.
Coach Brown has played South Dakota State over 60 times during his 14-season tenure at North Dakota State, but has never faced the Jackrabbits as head coach of the Lobos. He last coached against SDSU in 2021.
BROWN’S PROGRAM-BUILDING RESUME
– In his first five seasons as head coach at North Dakota State, Brown’s teams improved their winning percentage in each season, going from 15-30 (.333) in his first season in 2008 to 40-20 (.667) in 2012 and finishing each of the next nine seasons above .400. The Bison reached the Summit League tournament eight times in that span, advancing to NCAA Regionals in 2014 and 2021.
– Brown coached the Bison to 40-win seasons in 2012 and 2021.
– In Brown’s second season at UNM, the Lobos improved to 26-25 from 21-33 the year prior, with the highest team batting average since 2013 (.328) and lowest team ERA since 2016 (5.95).
– In 16 years as a D-I Head Coach, Brown has finished the season above .400 13 times and above .500 five times – the only three seasons in which he’s finished below .400 were his first two years in Grand Forks (2008, 2009) and his first season in Albuquerque (2022).
SPENRATH CRACKS THE TOP 50 1B’S
– UNM Senior First Baseman Reed Spenrath was named to D1Baseball.com’s Top 50 first baseman rankings, coming in at No. 46 in the nation. A first-team all-conference selection in first season with the Lobos, Spenrath led the team and ranked second in the conference in 2023 with 19 home runs – the sixth-most in a single season in program history – and 65 RBIs. The 6’5” power hitter also led the team and ranked third in the conference with 54 runs scored, batting .321 while reaching base at a clip of .421. He finished the season with 16 multi-hit games and 18 multi-RBI games.
YOUR 2024 LOBOS ROSTER
– UNM’s 2024 roster includes 16 returning players with 24 newcomers – the Lobos return seven position players who started at least 10 games in 2023 and losing six.
– Of the Lobos’ newcomers, 8 are freshmen and 16 are transfers – 12 from junior colleges and four from four-year institutions.
– 29 players are upperclassmen – 13 seniors and 16 juniors – the most upperclassmen Brown has had on a roster in Albuquerque.
PITCHING ROUNDUP
– The Lobos lost three weekend starters (Tristin Lively, Riley Egloff, ) to graduation, but return LHP Jaren Jackson, who made eight starts last season while pitching the most innings of any returner (44.2 IP).
– Five returners – Brian McBroom, Arthur Steinkamp, Ben Baker-Livingston, Justin Still and Wil Bannister — all saw significant action in ‘23. UNM brings in 12 incoming pitchers this season – eight transfers and four freshmen.
– Steinkamp posted the lowest ERA of any pitcher with more than two appearances in 2023 (2.81), going his final 10 appearances without walking a single batter and only walking four on the season.
– McBroom led the Lobos with 25 appearances all out of the bullpen in ‘23, leading the team and ranking seventh in the conference with three saves while allowing zero or one earned runs in 20 appearances.
RETURNER-FILLED LINEUP
– UNM returns three starters that batted above .300 in 2023 – Jake Holland (.333), Reed Spenrath (.321) and Sean Stephens (.349). Spenrath and Holland led the team in slugging percentage last year, with Spenrath slugging at a .721 clip and Holland at .633, good for second and fourth-best in the Mountain West that season.
– The Lobos also return senior middle infield duo Chase Weissenborn (.291) and Devon Dixon (.274). Weissenborn is the Lobos’ only returning player who started every game in 2023. Dixon and Weissenborn both connected on 10 doubles each last season.
– Other experienced seniors include catcher/DH Kyle Smith (20 starts in ‘23, 5 HR, 13 RBI) and infielder Konner Kinkade (10 starts, 35 appearances, 4 2B, 12 RBI). Both earned starts this past weekend.
BREAKDOWN BY POSITION
Pitchers: 8 Returners / 12 Newcomers
Catchers: 2 Returners / 2 Newcomers
Infielders: 4 Returners / 6 Newcomers
Outfielders: 1 Returners / 7 Newcomers
2023 BY THE NUMBERS
– UNM’s .328 batting average in 2023 was its highest since 2013 – The Lobos led the Mountain West in that category and ranked third nationally.
– The Lobos hit 87 home runs – their most since 2003. That total led the Mountain West and is the third most in program history.
– UNM slugged .559 on the season, the sixth-highest in program history and highest since 2003, leading the Mountain West.
– With a .974 fielding percentage – second-highest in program history (2017) – the Lobos led the Mountain West.
– Improving from a a 9.06 ERA as a team in Brown’s first season to a 5.95, UNM only allowed 3.20 walks per nine innings, its lowest average since 2014 and the best in the Mountain West. The Lobos’ 1.59 WHIP was its lowest since 2015.
– UNM scored 441 runs (most since 2017, led MW) and racked up 617 hits (most since 2017, led MW) to go with 24 triples (most since 2015, led MW) and 411 RBI (most since 2017, led MW).
– Lobo batters reached base at a .406 clip, UNM’s best average since 2017 (Led MW).
– UNM turned 48 double plays in 51 games, the most in the MW and 33rd-most in the nation. The Lobos’ .94 double plays per game ranked No. 9 in the nation.
TOP NEWCOMERS
Josh McAlister | INF | JR
The junior infielder transferred to UNM from Ohio State over the offseason, where he appeared in 87 games over three seasons, starting 76. He posted career-highs in walks (25), RBI (18) and fielding percentage (.954) in 36 games for the Buckeyes in 2023, and has started all four games at third base for the Lobos, getting on base in all four and finishing with four hits and two RBI as well as his fifth career homer.
BROWN ON MCALISTER: “Very athletic, good defensive player; has some juice in his bat and can hit doubles and home runs. He brings some experience at the Division I level coming in.”
Tye Wood | OF | JR
A junior college transfer by way of Iowa Western, Wood hit for a .413 average last season at Iowa Western en route to his second First Team All-Region honor in as many seasons. In 2023, the switch-hitting outfielder connected on 16 doubles and five triples while stealing 23 bases. He’s finished with a hit and a run in all three games he appeared in over the weekend, drawing three walks.
BROWN ON WOOD: “He’s had a nice spring so far – he’s a guy that we expect to see a lot of playing action early.”
Khalil Walker | OF | JR
Another JuCo transfer outfielder, Walker comes to UNM by way of Eastern Arizona College, where he was named First Team All-ACCAC and Second Team All-Region while also finishing the season as a National Golden Glove nominee. He hit .350 for EAC last season, getting on base at a .458 clip while driving in 31 runs for the Gila Monsters. In 11 at-bats over his first weekend of action, Walker drew four walks and scored a pair of runs, connecting on a big double against Minnesota.
BROWN ON WALKER: “Left-handed hitter, high-speed guy, high-contact guy that can steal bases. Big defender in the outfield.”
Andrew Neil | RHP/INF | JR
Neil – a two-way player during his two seasons at Folsom Lake CC – was slated to start Friday’s season opener for the Lobos before a hand injury. He displays a potent three-pitch mix and accumulated a 9-3 record on the mound with a 4.44 ERA last season for the Falcons, hitting .320 with 25 RBI to go with eight doubles and three homers.
BROWN ON NEIL: “Hopefully here in the next two, three weeks, he’ll resume starting to throw and get back out there. He’s gonna be a big part of our pitching staff, either as a starter or a closer.”
A LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE
– UNM’s 54-game 2024 schedule, including 30 Mountain West Conference games, features five different teams that reached NCAA Regionals last spring – Oregon State, Texas Tech, Arizona, San Jose State and Sam Houston State – with 27 games against nine opponents that ranked in the Top 150 in the nation in last season’s final RPI rankings.
– UNM will play 30 games at Santa Ana Star Field in Albuquerque and 24 games on the road throughout the regular season.
-For the seventh season in a row, UNM is opening the season at the Sanderson Ford Collegiate Baseball Classic in Surprise, Ariz.
– The Lobos then return to Albuquerque for 12 home games in a row at Santa Ana Star Field, opening things up with a four-game series with South Dakota State Feb. 22-24 (DH on Feb. 24), followed by another four-game swing with Hofstra March 1-3 (DH on March 2). UNM’s first midweek matchup of the season with Texas Tech – who the Lobos walked off with a ninth-inning Jake Holland homer for an 11-10 win at home in their last meeting – is set for March 5.
– Mountain West play begins March 8-10 with a home series against UNLV, with UNM’s first true road games of the season the following week with a midweek matchup at Arizona State (March 12) and a three-game conference swing with Nevada in Reno (March 15-17).
– The first of four Rio Grande Rivalry matchups with New Mexico State will take place on March 19 at home before UNM plays host to defending MW Champions San Jose State (March 22-24). They’ll face the Aggies twice more in Las Cruces (April 9, April 30) before concluding the four-game season series at home on May 7.
– After a MW series with San Diego State on the road March 28-30, the Lobos get four consecutives matchups with 2023 NCAA Regional qualifiers, set for a midweek matchup with Arizona in Tucson on April 2 before returning home to host 2023 WAC Champions Sam Houston State for a three-game set April 5-7 – UNM’s final multi-game nonconference series of the season.
– Up next, another four-game homestand includes UNM’s only MW series with Fresno State April 12-14 before a matchup with D-II CSU-Pueblo on April 16. The Lobos then travel to Air Force – another MW opponent they’ll only face in one series – for a three-game series April 19-21 before heading down to Lubbock, Texas for their second and final meeting with Texas Tech April 23. Rematches with San Diego State at home (April 26-28), UNLV on the road (May 3-5), Nevada at home (May 10-12) and San Jose State on the road (May 16-18) comprise the remainder of UNM’s regular season, with Senior Day set for May 12.
– Should the Lobos finish among the Top Four in the Mountain West standings, they’ll earn a berth to the MWC Championships May 23-25, hosted this year by San Diego State. The winner earns the conference’s automatic berth