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by Connor Gilbert

Lobos Clinch Series with Pair of DH Wins over Fresno State

Lobos Clinch Series with Pair of DH Wins over Fresno StateLobos Clinch Series with Pair of DH Wins over Fresno State
  • Game 1
  • Game 2
Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico swept Saturday’s doubleheader over Fresno State, winning 9-8 in walk-off fashion in Game One before stifling the Bulldogs’ bats in a 5-2 win in Game Two to secure its first series win over the Bulldogs since 2023.

The Lobos (17-10, 3-2 MW) will now go for their first sweep over the Bulldogs (8-16, 0-5 MW) since 2023 in Sunday’s finale, set for a 12 p.m. MT first pitch. All of this weekend’s action will be free to stream via the MW Network at GoLobos.com/Watch, with live stats available via GoLobos.com/BSBStats. Follow @UNMLoboBaseball on IG, X and Facebook for comprehensive coverage.

ACROSS THE DOUBLEHEADER
New Mexico swept its doubleheader with Fresno behind a productive offensive day and a mixed but ultimately effective effort on the mound, combining for a .266 team batting average with 17 hits and 14 runs scored across the two games.

At the plate, Akili Carris and Gene Trujillo led the way, each going 4-for-7 (.571) on the day, with Carris pacing the Lobos in total bases (7), RBI (5) and slugging (1.000). Luke Mansy went 3-for-6 (.500) with a team-high two walks and .625 OBP, while Khalil Walker (3-for-7, .429) contributed two doubles, two RBI and two stolen bases. Anthony Diaz chipped in two hits, including a pair of doubles, while Karsen Waslefsky added an extra-base hit and two RBI.

With his two doubles on the day, Gene Trujillo is now at 15 on the season – the most in the Mountain West.

As a team, the Lobos posted a .469 slugging percentage and .351 on-base percentage, drawing eight walks and producing five extra-base hits while going 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts.

UNM’s pitching staff combined for a 4.50 ERA over 18 innings, allowing 18 hits and 9 earned runs while striking out 11. RHP Ryan Castillo was dominant in Game Two, throwing six innings with five strikeouts and just three earned runs allowed, while RHP Cristian Mogen matched him with six innings to go with four strikeouts in his start in Game One.

Out of the bullpen, RHP Ty Cunningham produced the final two outs in Game Two to pick up his 12th career save, while LHP Cooper Corkrean struck out five over three frames and earned a win despite allowing three runs in the ninth.

Game One – Lobos 9, Bulldogs 8

New Mexico erased multiple deficits and walked it off in dramatic fashion to win the postponed series opener, with Karsen Waslefsky delivering a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to end the game then and there.

After falling behind 1-0 early, the Lobos struck in the second when Akili Carris launched a massive two-out, three-run homer, scoring Gene Trujillo and Damian Garcia to take a 3-1 lead. It was just the second homer of the season for Carris and the third of his four-year UNM career.

The ‘Dogs answered with runs in the fourth and fifth to move back in front, but UNM continued to find a response in the later innings.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Lobos manufactured a pair of runs with situational execution — Khalil Walker made good on a leadoff single from Carris to score him with a double before Lenny Junior Ashby brought him in with an RBI grounder that retook the lead.

The biggest offensive swing came in the sixth, when New Mexico plated three runs. Walker delivered a sacrifice fly before Anthony Diaz ripped a two-run double, driving in Brodey Williams and Carris to stretch the advantage to 8-5.

Fresno State rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth to tie things up and bring up UNM’s bats again, but Waslefsky ended the game in the first plate appearance of the bottom of the inning with a no-doubt solo shot to left to walk things off.

Offensively, the Lobos got production throughout the order – Luke Mansy (2-for-4, 1 R), Akili Carris (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB) and Khalil Walker (2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 1 R) all led the way with two knocks apiece, while Anthony Diaz (2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB), Karsen Waslefsky (HR, 1 RBI, 1 R) and Gene Trujillo (2B, 1 R) made it a nine-hit outing for UNM’s bats.

On the mound, RHP Cristian Mogen (6 IP, 8 H, 5 R / 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K) worked around eightv hits to keep the Lobos in the game early, while LHP Cooper Corkrean (3 IP, 4 H, 3 R / 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K) earned the win despite Fresno’s late push, finishing the final three innings with five strikeouts – just one shy of matching a career-high.

Game Two – Lobos 5, Bulldogs 2

RHP Ryan Castillo set the tone with six scoreless innings, allowing just five hits while striking out five – he earned the win to improve to 5-1 on the season, lowering his season ERA to a stunning 2.04 ERA in 39 ⅔ innings of work. He’s surrendered one run or less in five of his seven starts so far this season.

The Lobos struck first in the second inning when Akili Carris – fresh off a 2-for-3 performance with three RBI in the first game – lined a two-run single to score Damian Garcia and Luke Mansy and make it a 2-0 ballgame.

UNM added insurance in the fifth, with Khalil Walker doubling and later scoring on a two-run double from Gene Trujillo – his 15th of the year – that extended the lead to 4-0. The Lobos tacked on another in the sixth on an RBI groundout from Waslefsky.

Fresno State pushed across two runs in the top of the ninth after being kept off the board all game, but the Lobos’ bullpen didn’t let them get any closer. RHP Luke Wiseman (2.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R / 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K)bridged the middle innings before RHP Ty Cunningham (0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K) closed things out to earn the 12th save of his career. He now moves up to No. 5 on the UNM career saves list, tied with Malachi Emond (2018-19).

At the plate, New Mexico totaled eight hits with more big contributions from Akili Carris (2 RBI), Gene Trujillo (3-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB), Anthony Diaz (2-for-5, double), Khalil Walker (2B, 1 R) and Luke Mansy (1-for-2, 1 R, 2 BB).

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS