Lobos Begin Extended Road Trip at Purple Classic
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos begin a 10-day road stint at the Purple Classic in Phoenix, Arizona with four games in two days starting Friday.
SCHEDULE:
Friday at 9 a.m. vs. Pacific
Friday at 2 p.m. vs. Montana
Saturday at 2 p.m. vs. Toledo
Saturday at 7 p.m. vs. Grand Canyon
All games will have live stats available, but only the GCU game will be streamed (on ESPN+).
UNM has faced all four teams before with GCU the most recent in last year. The Lobos haven’t played Pacific in eight years, Montana in six years and Toledo in 33 years with Pacific the team UNM has played the most at nine games.
TAKE ME HOME COUNTRY ROADS
This weekend on the Lobos’ road tour takes the team to the home state of Grace Rana (Queen Creek) and Karly Smith (Scottsdale). On the season, the Lobos will travel to the home states for 19 Lobos in Arizona (two), California (five), Hawai’i (one), Louisiana (one) and Texas (10).
LIFE ON THE ROAD
The Lobos have 13 of 54 total games at home. UNM’s first 17 games of the season were on the road, taking the Lobos to Louisiana and three times to Texas with the home opener on Feb. 28 against Texas Tech.
Following the Feb. 28 home game, the Lobos don’t have another home game until the MW series against UNLV starting on March 22, which includes a prolonged stay on the road with a tournament in Phoenix and the Lobos heading straight to Honolulu.
KEEP THEM GUESSING
In the 18 games this season, the Lobos have used 17 different lineup combinations. UNM has used the same batting order in only the McNeese and Chattanooga games the first weekend.
The Lobos have used three different players in the leadoff spot, five in the second spot, three in the third spot, five in the cleanup, six in the fifth spot, six in the sixth spot, five in the seventh spot, five in the eighth spot and five in the ninth spot in the lineup.
Rachael Hathoot has led off in 13 games and Elizabeth Baylor batting seventh in 13 games for the most frequency in the lineup. Sydney Carithers has batted eighth in 10 games, Ashley Archuleta and Chloe Yeatts third and Emma Bramson fifth in eight games each, Keyannah Chavez second in seven games and Katherine Brunner sixth in seven games for the most appearances in each spot. DeNae Vasquez-Dickson has hit ninth in six games.
Chavez has made the most movement in the batting order, appearing in six different spots, the most often in second (seven games), three times in the cleanup spot, two times in each the sixth and eighth spot, has hit leadoff twice and hit fifth in one game.
In the field, UNM has used four different players in left, six as the designated player, four at third, three behind the plate, and two in right field, center, first base and at second base.
FRESH PERSPECTIVE
The Lobos revamped their roster with 12 freshmen and a total of 15 newcomers. Of the freshmen, UNM added four pitchers, three outfielders, three utility players and two infielders. UNM also added three transfers in junior catcher/ infielder Sydney Carithers, junior pitcher Emily Brouse and sophomore outfielder Taylor Morgan.
Of the freshmen, Katherine Brunner has played in all 18 games with 16 starts, 11 games at third and five as the designated player. Macie Andrews has started four games, all in left, DeNae Vasquez-Dickson 10 games in left and Gabrielle Briones starting in three games, two at third and one at second. McKenna Guest leads the Lobos’ pitching staff with 10 starts and 13 appearances. Carithers has started 15 games, 14 at catcher and one at third.
ABOUT PACIFIC
Pacific enters the Purple Classic 2-12 on the season, and is coming off a 1-4 weekend at the Libby Matson Tournament with losses to Stony Brook and Nevada and a split with Creighton. Of their five games, three were one-run games with their loss to Creighton in 10 innings.
The Tigers are 1-5 in neutral games with a season-opening win against UIC (7-6).
Six of Pacific’s games this season have been one-run games with the Tigers 1-5 in those instances.
Pacific is led at the plate by Olivia Silvestre’s 14 hits which includes a team-high four doubles. Silvestre leads with a .368 batting average, .474 slugging percentage and .479 on-base percentage. She also leads in stolen bases, going 3-3 with the Tigers 5-6 in stolen base attempts.
Rian Dirmeyer has hit a team-high three home runs and is tied for the team high with six RBI and 18 total bases.
Pacific has used six pitchers to date, led by nine appearances from Avery Croxall, who also carries a team-best 1.52 ERA on 23.0 innings and a team-high 28 strikeouts to four walks. Croxall however hasn’t started a game, with the Tigers going with Vanessa Strong and Amiyah Aponte for four starts each. Strong leads with 24.1 innings in the circle.
Opponents are 21-22 in stolen base attempts and are hitting .313 against the Tigers with 27 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 123 hits.
ABOUT MONTANA
Montana sits at 5-10 on the season following a 2-3 weekend where the Grizzlies won their last two games. Montana is 3-7 in neutral games.
Presley Jantzi leads UM with 18 hits, 24 total bases, a .353 batting average and .411 on-base percentage.
On the bases, Montana is just 1-3, while opponents are 32-36.
UM has utilized four pitchers, led by 33.1 innings from former Lobo Emmalyn Brinka, who has appeared in eight games with six starts (tying the team high). Rylee Rehbein has a team-best 2.69 ERA, allowing 11 runs (10 earned) on 36 hits, and has struck out 30 compared to four walks in 26.0 innings.
ABOUT TOLEDO
Toledo enters the weekend 5-3 on the season after going 3-2 last weekend. The Rockets have lost their last two games and are 4-2 in neutral games.
Eli Enriquez leads the team with 14 hits behind three triples and has 21 total bases. Enriquez is batting .519 with a .778 slugging percentage and .536 on-base percentage, while also 7-7 in stolen bases.
As a team, Toledo is 11-11 in stolen base attempts with five players recording at least one.
When it comes to pitching, Toledo has used four pitchers with Sophia Knight throwing the most innings at 34.2 in six appearances, three starts and two complete games. Knight carries a 0.61 ERA and has struck out 31 to 10 walks. Knight has accounted for 31 of the team’s 40 strikeouts.
ABOUT GRAND CANYON
Grand Canyon is 11-4 on the season with all 15 games played at home, and is coming off of a 3-2 weekend at the GCU/ASU Classic.
The Lopes have seven players with 10 or more hits, led by 17 from Kristin Fifield, who also leads with 16 RBI, a .543 slugging percentage and .370 batting average.
Ashley Trierweiler leads with seven stolen bases, going 7-7, one of eight players with at least one stolen base. As a team, GCU is 22-25 in stolen base attempts with Fifield 3-3, Brynn-Jordan Smythe 6-6 and Katelyn Dunckel 2-2.
GCU has used six pitchers with Hailey Hudson making the most appearances (nine) and starts (five) with one complete game and one save and 31.1 innings. Hudson has also struck out 33 compared to seven walks. As a staff, GCU has struck out 84 to 27 walks and carries a 1.80 ERA with opponents hitting .186 with 67 hits, 35 runs (26 earned) and nine doubles and nine home runs.