ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos close the Mountain West conference schedule and their home schedule in a three-game series against Utah State starting Thursday.
UNM enters the series 23-25 on the season, 10-12 in conference with USU 19-32 and 7-15 in conference.
SCHEDULE
THURSDAY @ 6 p.m. | LIVE STATS
FRIDAY @ 2 p.m. | LIVE STATS
SATURDAY @ 12 p.m. | LIVE STATS
There is free admission for all three games with live stats and streaming available for those unable to attend.
HOME RUN POWER
Heading into the series, the Lobos have 45 home runs, the most since 2022 when UNM hit 46. The 46 home runs are currently tied for the second most in a single season in program history.
The Lobos have the fifth-most home runs in the Mountain West and the 87th most in the NCAA.
Eleven different players have hit a home run, seven with multiple home runs. Miracle McKenzie leads with 16 with Allie Williams second at eight. Gabrielle Briones, Estrella Rowe, Williams, Caitlin Benningfield, Melanie Macias and Jasmyn Lloyd all hit their first collegiate home runs this season.
The Lobos are 12-0 when they hit two or more home runs and have hit three home runs in seven games.
UNM has hit a home run in 26 games overall. The Lobos hit a home run in six consecutive games between March 22 and April 3.
The Lobos hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning of game three against Fresno State with McKenzie hitting a two-run home run and Macias hitting a home run, the second of the game for the freshman.
BIG INNINGS
UNM has scored four or more runs in an inning in 16 games and 20 times this season.
The Lobos scored a season-best nine runs in the fourth inning against South Alabama after scoring seven runs in the second inning. UNM scored seven runs behind two home runs in the second inning, all with two outs, ultimately scoring seven runs on six hits and sent 10 batters to the plate. The Lobos exceeded the second-inning production with nine runs on seven hits in the fourth inning. Of the nine runs in the inning, seven were scored with two outs with four of the seven hits coming with two outs.
New Mexico matched that with nine runs in the second inning of game three against Fresno State, scoring nine runs on seven hits and sent 12 to the plate in the inning. Of the seven hits, three went for extra bases (two doubles, one home run) and five came with two outs.
Against New Mexico State, UNM scored five runs in the first inning and in the series against Fresno State, UNM scored five runs in the fourth inning of game one.
In game two at San José State, the Lobos scored eight runs on eight hits, highlighted by a three-run home run by Miracle McKenzie.
In the first game against San Diego State, the Lobos scored six runs in the third inning, hitting two home runs in the inning.
In game two at Boise State, the Lobos scored seven runs in the eighth inning behind four hits, four walks and a McKenzie grand slam.
In game one at Nevada, the Lobos scored four runs in seventh inning and six runs in the eighth inning, scoring four runs on three hits that included an Allie Williams' three-run home run and sac fly by Melanie Macias. In the eighth inning, DeNae Vasquez-Dickson started the inning with a home run with the Lobos finishing with seven hits.
In game two at Nevada, the Lobos scored six runs in the fourth inning on two hits including a grand slam by Gabrielle Briones, two walks and two errors.
TWO OUTS, SO WHAT?
Of UNM’s 235 runs, 92 (39.1%) have come with two outs, including 17 games with multiple runs scored with two outs.
All eight of UNM's runs scored in game two at San José State were scored with two outs.
28 of Miracle McKenzie’s 48 RBI (58.3%) on the season have come with two outs, as have 14 of Jessica DeLeon’s 20.
Of note, DeLeon drove in the game-winning run against UTEP on Feb. 27 with two outs.
UNM was 14-21 in game two at Abilene Christian with two outs with 10 of the 13 runs coming with two outs in the inning.
Against South Alabama, UNM was 10-16 with two outs and 14 of the 16 runs were scored with two outs.
In the series at Boise State, 12 of the 21 runs came with two outs.
McKenzie is 20-44 (.455) with two outs with DeLeon 19-51 (.373) and Gabrielle Briones 17-44 (.386).
WALK IT OUT
The Lobos have 136 walks this season with 11 games with five or more walks, including a season-high seven walks against Tarleton State and game one at Nevada, and six walks in five games.
Of the 133 walks, 64 (47.1%) came on full counts, 41 (30.1%) on 3-1 counts and 31 (22.8%) on four pitches.
UNM has led off with a walk in nine games. DeNae Vasquez-Dickson led off the game against Northwestern State on Feb. 7, the Tarleton State game on Feb. 27 and both Nevada games with a walk and Briana Williams led off the Louisiana Tech game, third game at Abilene Christian, Houston Christian game on Feb. 28 and game one against San Diego State with a walk. Allie Williams led off game one against GCU with a walk.
STRIKEOUT STAT
The Lobos rank second in the Mountain West in strikeouts per seven innings (5.26) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.62) with freshman Caitlin Benningfield leading the conference in strikeouts (107). UNM is 76th in the NCAA in team strikeouts per seven innings and 85th in strikeout-to-walk ratio.
As a staff, the Lobos have struck out 236 batters, led by Benningfield’s 107 (45.3%) with McKenna Guest the next highest at 78 (33%).
UNM struck out a season-high 13 against Samford on March 8 and has struck out five or more in 26 games.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Utah State is hitting .285 on the season, led by Kya Pratt at .362. Of USU’s 389 hits, 79 have been doubles, eight triples and 46 home runs with Grace Matej leading with 12 and Kaylee Erickson with 11 home runs.
On the bases, the Aggies are 17-22 in stolen base attempts, behind Keely Gousha going 9-9.
In the circle, the Aggies have had eight different pitchers make an appearance with Rylie Pindel throwing in a team-high 35 games with 17 starts and five complete games. Pindel holds a 5.93 ERA with 108.2 innings pitched, 147 hits allowed, 98 runs allowed (92 earned) and 35 strikeouts to 40 walks. Following Pindel, Kendall Cochran has the next highest innings at 82.0 and has thrown in 27 games with 16 starts and two complete games with 54 strikeouts to 69 walks.
As a staff, the Aggies hold a 7.37 ERA and have 159 strikeouts to 213 walks, allowing 479 hits and 388 runs (343 earned). Of the 479 hits allowed, 78 have been doubles, 12 triples and 64 home runs.