The University of New Mexico baseball team has experienced lofty highs and ignominious lows during coach Tod Brown’s initial season as coach.
Tuesday’s home win over nationally ranked Texas Tech was an example of the former. The weekend series beginning Friday at Mountain West Conference foe UNLV is a strong reminder of the latter.
The sixth-place Lobos (15-21, 6-12) had a crack at the league leaders in Albuquerque to begin the month, the results were nothing short of brutal. UNLV (26-12, 15-3) won 18-3, 12-4 and, on Sunday, 27-6.
The Lobos have gone 3-5 since, the most recent outing an uplifting 11-10 home win Tuesday over No. 9Texas Tech. UNM slapped 21 hits in the typical midweek game — UNM used seven pitchers, Tech six — and needed four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk it off. Jeffrey David’s three-run homer down the right-field line capped the rally, and the Lobos celebrated vigorously.
UNM’s pitching staff figures to be challenged again this weekend. UNLV leads the league with a .335 team batting average, runs (359) and every significant offensive statistical category. Next best in scoring is Nevada with 305, and the Lobos have plated 209 runs.
First pitch for Friday’s series opener is set for 7:05 pm at Earl E. Wilson Stadium. Saturday’s game is set for 2:05 pm and Sunday’s closer at noon.
NEW MEXICO STATE: The Aggies (14-20, 3-7 Western Athletic Conference) are at Seattle University (9-23, 7-11) for three games beginning Friday at 5 pm NMSU lost two of three when the two teams met earlier this season in Las Cruces.
NMSU also won a bullpen game Tuesday, 12-3 over Benedictine Mesa. Logan Gallina homered twice and became the first Aggies to drive in five runs in a game this season.
Gunner Antillon’s .438 batting average matches national leader Myles Nicholson of UMBC, only Antillon hasn’t met the qualifying number of games played to be considered.
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