Lobos Drop Doubleheader at Tarleton State
STEPHENVILLE, Texas – New Mexico couldn’t recover from early deficits after Tarleton struck first in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader at Tarleton Baseball Complex, with the Lobos getting shut out to fall 4-0 in a seven-inning Game One before the Texans held them off 9-6 in Game Two to seal the series.
Still in search of their first true road win of the season, Lobos (8-8) will look to stay above .500 and snap a three-game skid when they play one more with the Texans (7-9) for Sunday’s series finale — UNM’s final game before opening up Mountain West Conference play at home against UNLV next weekend (March 14-16).
The Lobos bounced back from a three-hit shutout in Game One with 13 hits in Game Two, with six of them coming from three players who didn’t appear in the first game.
After going 2-for-15 in his first six appearances this season, sophomore Gene Trujillo matched that hit output in Saturday’s Game Two alone, driving in a two-run homer and singling while drawing a walk.
🚨 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗝𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗢 𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗞 🚨@GeneTrujillo19‘s first HR of the season has the ‘Bos back within a pair! pic.twitter.com/NoxBFooeRz
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 8, 2025
In his first career start in left field with just one at-bat across 14 games a Lobo, senior utility man Andrew Neil also finished with two hits. So did third baseman Luke Mansy, who doubled, scored a run and got aboard three times in the ninth start of his career.
Will Asby finished with two hits in both games, scoring a pair of runs and doubling in Game Two – he’s now finished with multiple hits in six of his last seven games after only doing so twice in his first nine. Jordy Oriach laced a pair of singles to become the fifth Lobo to pick up a pair of hits in Game Two and Cooper Brass, Karsen Waslefsky (1 R, 1 RBI) and Khalil Walker (1 R) rounded things out with a hit each. Luke Banister drove in a pair of RBI with a sac fly and a fielder’s choice knock despite going 0-for-4.
RHP Ryan Castillo (4.0 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 K) was roughed up for five runs in the first two innings of his fourth start of the year but retired six of the next seven he faced to put two zeroes on the board before his time was done.
3⃣⬆️, 3⃣⬇️ for @ryan_castillo_ in B4 to keep the momentum 🔥
E4 | Tarleton 5, New Mexico 3 pic.twitter.com/zVeNBhtFZZ
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 8, 2025
After a brief nine-pitch relief outing in Friday night’s series opener, LHP Daxton Purser (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K) surrendered an inherited run from Castillo in the fifth but didn’t allow a hit during his two innings of relief and struck out the side in the sixth to reach seven consecutive batters retired.
PURSER STRIKES OUT THE SIDE IN THE 6TH 🔥
That’s now 6 in a row retired for @DaxPurser! pic.twitter.com/8n8A5sPGXZ
— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 8, 2025
Tommy White (0.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER), Luke Wiseman (0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K), and Josh Barnhouse (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) combined to finish the game, with Barnhouse striking out two in a clean final frame.
GAME ONE RECAP – TARLETON 4, NEW MEXICO 0 (7 INNINGS)
New Mexico was shut out on in Saturday’s Game One, managing just three hits in a 4-0 loss to the Texans in a condensed seven-inning contest. Will Asby (2-for-3) recorded two of the Lobos’ three hits, while Caleb Herd (1-for-3) had the only other knock. UNM struggled to capitalize on baserunners, stranding seven across the game.
On the mound, Diego Lopez (5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) worked his way out of trouble to keep things scoreless through the first two frames before Tarleton broke through in the third. He finished his outing on a high note, retiring the side in order on just nine pitches in the fifth. Matthew Romero (0.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K) faced three batters before Luke Wiseman (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) closed out the game with a clean final frame.
ON DECK
Tomorrow’s weekend finale is set for an 11 a.m. (MT) first pitch. All of this weekend’s series will be broadcast via paid subscription to ESPN+, with live stats, streaming options and more available via GoLobos.com/BSBGameDay. Follow @UNMLoboBaseball on IG, X and Facebook for comprehensive coverage, promotional updates, behind-the-scenes content and more.