Lobos Renew Rio Grande Rivalry Tuesday at Home
New Mexico Baseball returns home for its first Rio Grande Rivalry matchup of the season against New Mexico State (10-10, 1-2) on Tuesday before hosting San Jose State in Mountain West action this weekend.
The Lobos are 12-8 (4-2 MW) heading into this week’s action, coming off a 2-2 week in which they picked up their first road win over Arizona State since 2014 but dropped the weekend series against the Wolf Pack (2-13, 3-4, 10-8).
UNM and their rivals to the south split a four-game season series in 2023, but the Lobos have won six of their last eight since renewing the rivalry for the first time since 2019 two seasons ago. They’re 116-93 all-time against the Aggies, with a 77-34 record in home matchups. They’ll face them twice more in Las Cruces (April 9, April 30) before concluding the four-game season series at home again on May 7.
Through 20 games, the Lobos also rank No. 6 in NCAA D-I in total doubles (54), No. 15 in total hits (226), No. 8 in total double plays (21), No. 20 in total walks (125), No. 20 in batting average (.323), No. 22 in team on-base percentage (.439) and No. 33 in runs scored (174) – they lead the Mountain West in each of those categories.
Both Tuesday’s midweek matchup and Friday’s series opener are set for 6 p.m. starts, with Saturday’s at 2 p.m. and Sunday’s series finale at Noon. All four games will be streamed via the Mountain West Network with live stats available via GoLobos.com/BSBStats. Follow @UNMLoboBaseball on IG, X and Facebook for gameday updates, behind-the-scenes content and more.
vs. New Mexico State (10-10, 1-2 C-USA)
March 19 | Albuquerque, N.M. | Santa Ana Star Field
vs. San Jose State (7-13, 3-6 MW)
March 22-24 | Albuquerque, N.M. | Santa Ana Star Field
ALL-TIME SERIES (New Mexico State)
UNM is 116-93 all-time against their rivals to the north, with a 77-34 record in home matchups. The two teams split four matchups last season, with the Lobos winning via run rule twice (13-0, 14-6) but losing via shutout twice as well (0-2, 0-8). Tod Brown is 6-2 against the Aggies in his tenure as UNM Head Coach.
COACH BROWN CRACKS 400
UNM’s 10-8 win over Nevada on Sunday was the 400th of UNM Head Coach Tod Brown’s career (North Dakota State 2008-2021, UNM 2022-present) — he’s one of only three UNM coaches to surpass 400 wins in their careers, trailing only Rich Alday (515-313 [1990-2007]) and Ray Birmingham (414-341 [2008-2020]) – the second and third-longest tenured Lobo Baseball coaches in program history – for the most career wins. Brown has posted a 59-66 record since becoming UNM’s 12th Baseball coach in the summer of 2021.
MOUNTAIN WEST RPI CHECK-IN
With a 4-2 record in their first two MW series, the Lobos are still projected to win the league by Warren Nolan after opening the season picked to finish fifth in the coaches’ poll – they have the fourth-best RPI (142) in the MW as of Monday and are tied with Air Force for the second-most games against RPI Top 100 opponents (6) in the league. UNM is 2-4 in those matchups.
UNM and Fresno State are the only two teams in the league that have posted a record above .500 in their last ten games – the Lobos have won seven of their last 10 and the Bulldogs have won eight of their last 10. UNM’s .600 overall win percentage through 20 games is also second to Fresno; they’re one of three teams entering the week coming off a win (Fresno St., Air Force).
WOOD HITTING TO ALL FIELDS
Tye Wood is pacing the Lobos with a .426 batting average that ranks as the best in the Mountain West – he’s sitting at No. 2 nationally in on base percentage (.635) for the second consecutive week and leads the conference in that category as well as walks per game (1.00, No. 53 in NCAA D-I) and HBP per game (0.50, No. 27).
He’s scored a run in 17 out of his 18 appearances for the Lobos, drawing multiple walks in four with a pair of multi-hit games in UNM’s sweep of the Rebels. He’s hit two homers — the second being UNM’s first grand slam of the season.
CARRIS’ BIG WEEK
Originally intended to redshirt until Josh McAlister’s injury pushed him into the starting lineup, Albuquerque native Akili Carris turned last week’s four-game homestand against Texas Tech and UNLV into a coming-out party with a big showing on both sides of the ball – he racked up seven RBI while batting .438 with two doubles and made some impressive plays at third, generating seven putouts and eight assists. He finished with a career-high three RBI on three hits in UNM’s 31-15 win over UNLV on Saturday. Prior to that weekend, Carris had yet to double or drive in a run – he had one hit in seven at-bats as a true freshman in 2023.
LOPEZ SHINING AS FRIDAY GUY
RHP David Lopez was a revelation in a career-high seven innings on the mound on Friday, holding the lineup that entered the week with the best batting average in the conference to just two earned runs in that span on six hits while striking out four and walking two. Lopez only allowed one extra base hit while totaling a career-high 107 pitches, picking up momentum as his pitch count rose – he gave up just one hit over his final three innings, retiring eight in a row for the second time in that game to close out his time on the mound.
HOLLAND SEEING IT WELL
Jake Holland went 4-for-5 with three doubles and a homer in UNM’s series finale against Nevada, taking the Mountain West lead in total doubles from Will Asby (8) now that he’s up to nine on the season. He’s up to five multi-hit games so far this season with five home runs.
REED BREAKS THE SEAL
After mashing 19 homers in his first season in Albuquerque, Reed Spenrath was productive at the plate through his first 16 games (.300/.455/.483) but with just one thing missing – his first home run of the year. He finally broke through with his first of the year and the Lobos’ 18th in the weekend finale against UNLV, driving a three-run shot more than 450 feet out of Santa Ana Star Field to put the Lobos up 5-4 late. He’s done so again twice since then, both multi-run homers against Arizona State (March 12) and Nevada (March 17). UNM is 3-0 in games in which Spenrath hits a home run.
Through five weeks of Baseball, Spenrath has accumulated 16 RBI while hitting seven doubles and three triples, connecting on 24 hits and drawing 17 walks. He has nine multi-hit games and four multi-RBI games.
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.
31-RUN MADNESS
The Lobos matched a program record set in 2004 with 31 runs scored in their series-clinching win over UNLV on Saturday, racking up 29 hits and getting multiple RBI from six different Lobos in the process. Will Asby drove in a team-high nine runs – the second-most in a single game in program history and the most since 2010 – and Kyle Smith added six more. UNM’s 29 hits in total are the most in a single game since 2010 and fourth-most in a single game in program history.
Asby was 2-for-2 with two doubles and 4 RBI in the first inning alone as the Lobos plated 20 runs in the first three frames. UNLV scored 15 runs in total and looked to get within striking distance late after plating eight between the fourth and sixth innings, but RHP Josh Barnhouse calmed things down in relief, allowing just one hit over 3 ⅔ innings of work while striking out four and walking two to calm things down and earn the first win of his UNM career.
MOUNTAIN WEST BREAKDOWN
Through 16 games, the Lobos lead the Mountain West in 13 statistical categories:
– Batting Average (.323)
– Slugging Percentage (.511)
– On Base Percentage (.439)
– Runs Scored (174)
– Hits (226)
– Runs Batted In (162)
– Doubles (54)
– Walks (125)
– Sac Flies (10)
– Double Plays (21)
– Saves (6)
They rank second in the league in:
– Home Runs (22)
– Putouts (519)
– Batters Struck Out Looking (49)
– Wins (12)
With every team now having played at least two weekend series, New Mexico (12-8, 4-2 MW) sits in a three-way tie for second in the league standings behind first-place Air Force (9-9, 5-1 MW) along with Fresno State (14-5, 4-2) and Nevada (8-9, 4-2). Heading into their home series this weekend, UNM and Air Force are the only two teams that have yet to drop a conference game at home.
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.
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 Fargo (2008, 2009) and his first season in Albuquerque (2022).
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.
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.
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.
– 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 to an NCAA Regional.