Lobos Host MW-Leading Fresno State April 12-14
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico Baseball returns to Mountain West play this weekend at home, playing host to league-leading Fresno State (23-9, 12-3 MW) at Santa Ana Star Field April 12-14.
After a week without any conference games, UNM gets a chance to take down the conference leader at home. The Lobos (16-15, 7-5 MW) are looking to snap a six-game skid after dropping a midweek matchup at New Mexico State on Tuesday — in their first 25 games of the season, they hadn’t lost more than twice in a row. Regardless, UNM remains in sole possession of second place in the Mountain West standings and is 3.5 games behind the Bulldogs, batting .309 on the season as a team with an OPS of .925 while averaging 8.93 runs and 11.44 hits per nine innings to lead the league in nearly every offensive category. In terms of individuals, Jake Holland is leading the league in homers (10) while ranking second among all MW players in RBI (36) and third in batting average (.373). Reed Spenrath leads the league in triples (4) and ranks second in total bases (78).
UNM also ranks No. 12 in all of D-I college baseball in total double plays (31) and DP per game (1.00), No. 26 in team on-base percentage (.423), No. 16 in doubles per game (2.52), No. 39 in base on balls (180), No. 31 in batting average (.309), No. 48 in runs scored (256), No. 47 in total hits (328) and No. 39 in slugging (.502).
Friday’s first pitch is set for 6 p.m. MT, with Saturday’s Game Two at 2 p.m. and Sunday’s finale at Noon. All three games will be streamed via the MW Network, with live stats available via GoLobos.com/BSBStats. Follow @UNMLoboBaseball on socials for promotional/marketing and gameday updates, behind-the-scenes content and more.
THIS WEEKEND'S PROMOS
FRIDAY, APRIL 12 – Limited Edition Stadium Poster Giveaway
SATURDAY, APRIL 13 – Student Raffle
SUNDAY, APRIL 14 – Lil’ Lobos Kid’s Club Day: Kids get to run the bases postgame.
SERIES NOTES
vs. Fresno State (23-9, 12-3 MW)
April 12-14 | Albuquerque, N.M. | Santa Ana Star Field
ALL-TIME SERIES
UNM leads the all-time series between the two teams by a thin margin (35-34-1), but the Lobos are 22-9 against the Bulldogs at home and have won four in a row against them dating back to the 2023 season, when they swept the series at home (16-10, 17-7, 6-5). Coach Brown is 7-5 against Fresno State in his tenure at UNM and 5-1 at home in that span.
LAST TIME OUT
UNM couldn’t produce the runs to keep up with New Mexico State in the second meeting this season between the in-state rivals at Presley Askew Field on Tuesday night, falling 10-2 to tie up the season series at a game apiece.
Despite dropping their sixth straight, the Lobos (16-15, 7-5 MW) are still above .500 and in sole possession of second place in the Mountain West standings ahead of this weekend’s home series against first-place Fresno State (23-9, 12-3 MW) that kicks off Friday evening at Santa Ana Star Field.
The Aggies (13-18, 2-7 C-USA) stranded 10 Lobo runners on base and capitalized on two UNM errors while plating 10 runs on 10 hits to even up the season series after UNM’s 14-4 win in Albuquerque on March 19. The Lobos didn’t allow another extra base hit past the fifth and limited NMSU to just two hits over the final three frames but couldn’t get back on the board until the ninth.
The Lobos finished with seven hits in total, led by a 2-for-4 outing from Khalil Walker (1 RBI, HBP) in the leadoff spot. Five other Lobos – Jake Holland, Reed Spenrath, Ethan Ott, Josh McAlister and Konner Kinkade – finished with a hit each, with Spenrath driving in UNM’s first run with his 11th double of the season.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
After winning four straight overall and eight consecutive conference games, Fresno now has the best RPI in the Mountain West (107) and has won of eight of its last 10. The Bulldogs tout the best winning percentage in the conference (.719) and best record in Quad 1 games (1-1), with the lowest team ERA in the league (4.15) and most doubles (82).
Fresno State also leads the conference in looking strikeouts with 88, allowing the least amount of earned runs with 129.Two Bulldogs top the league in hits this season: Eddie Saldivar with 49 and Tommy Hopfe with 45. Tommy Hopfe also has the most saves in the league with seven.
ON DECK
The Lobos stay home for a midweek matchup with D-II CSU Pueblo on Tuesday before another pivotal MW series on the road, this time at Air Force (13-18, 8-6 MW) in Colorado Springs April 19-21.