Lobos Walk Off UNLV, Complete Weekend Sweep in Sunday Finale

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – New Mexico (11-9, 3-0 MW) capped off a series sweep of UNLV (11-8, 0-3 MW) in dramatic fashion, scoring five runs in the bottom of the ninth to come all the way back for an 11-8 victory Sunday at Santa Ana Star Field.

With the sweep, New Mexico improves to 3-0 in Mountain West play — the second season in a row in which the Lobos have swept UNLV at home in their first conference series of the year. They’re the only team in the conference that wrapped up opening weekend of league play without a loss.

Trailing 8-2 after UNLV plated seven runs in the fifth and sixth innings, the Lobos scored nine unanswered over the final three frames to turn the tables on the Rebels late. Andrew Neil (2-for-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI) played the hero, launching his second home run of the game to drive in three runs and put the Rebels away for good. His two homers — the first two big flies of his UNM career in only his second start in left field — came on the first and last at-bats of the game. Neil tied things up immediately in the bottom of the first with a leadoff solo homer and struck out twice in his next two plate appearances before his ninth-frame heroics ended the game with a Lobo sweep.

FINAL | Lobos 11, UNLV 8

𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐖 𝐍𝐄𝐈𝐋 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐒 𝐈𝐓 𝐎𝐅𝐅‼️

Neil’s second big fly of the day seals the rally and weekend sweep!#GoLobos pic.twitter.com/TNpasXiQEt

— UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 16, 2025

Jordy Oriach (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) also went yard — his team-leading seventh of the season — while Will Asby (2-for-4, RBI), Josh McAlister (2-for-4), and Khalil Walker (2-for-5, 2B, RBI) contributed key hits in the Lobos’ 13-hit attack.

On the mound, RHP Josh Barnhouse (2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K) dominated in relief as the Lobos held the Rebels scoreless over the final three frames, retiring all seven batters he faced as UNM mounted a comback to earn the win and improve to 2-0 on the season. RHP Dayne Pengelly (4.2 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 K) minimized the damage from an early Rebels outburst before handing the ball to RHP Luke Wiseman (1.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER) and RHP Diego Alvarez (1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER), who helped bridge the gap to Barnhouse’s lockdown finish. In total, UNM pitchers gave up 18 hits but held UNLV to just eight runs, stranding 13 runners on base.

ON DECK
With the Lobos’ initially-scheduled nonconference road matchup with Texas Tech on Tuesday canceled due to inclement conditions in both Lubbock and Albuquerque, New Mexico (11-9, 3-0 MW) will get four days off before hitting the road for another Mountain West weekend series at Nevada (11-8, 1-2 MW) in Reno March 21-23. Next weekend’s series will be available to stream for free via the MW Network, 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.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

⚾️ #MWBSB Highlights from @UNMLoboBaseball‘s 11-8 walkoff win over UNLV pic.twitter.com/nojDEKLkzr

— Mountain West (@MountainWest) March 16, 2025

ALL-TIME SERIES
With the weekend sweep, the Lobos have now won nine of their last 10 against the Rebels for the first time since 2019. The Lobos went 5-1 against the Hustlin’ Rebels last season, with UNM’s sweep in March marking the first series win over the Rebels since 2019. Head Coach Tod Brown improves to 8-8 against UNLV in his tenure at UNM.

UNM still trails the all-time series 94-103 but holds a 48-29 advantage over the Rebels at home with a 44-74 record against them in Vegas.