Lobos Win 2016 Mountain West Conference Baseball Championship
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico Lobos (38-21) are the 2016 Mountain West Conference Baseball Tournament Champions and have earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament. The Lobos clinched the title with a 14-4 victory over the Nevada Wolf Pack Saturday.
The championship is the seventh MW title for the program and the sixth since 2011. Head Coach Ray Birmingham has now won six championships in his nine years with the university. This was also the first MW Championship won at the host site since 2008.
“I really wanted to win this in front of the home crowd, I wanted the people of New Mexico to see us win another championship,” said Birmingham. “This is going to be our 10th number on the wall out there (in centerfield) in nine years and that’s a big deal. I told our kids, our fans are going to come out in folds and pack that park. And that makes them play better. They play harder in front of that crowd.
“There are a lot of neighborhood kids on this team, and that’s what’s cool. Everyone knows a bunch of these kids. Albuquerque is a big little town, and we are family. I wanted them to win this for their family.”
Overall, the Lobos came away highly recognized on the All-Tournament Team. Pitcher Colton Thomson and centerfielder Luis Gonzalez were each named Co-MW Championship Most Valuable Players. They were joined on the All-Tournament team by pitcher Tyler Stevens and designated hitter Chris DeVito.
For Saturday’s game, the Lobos left nothing to chance. After strong pitching dominated the week for New Mexico, the bats came alive Saturday to clinch the title. The Lobos hung 14 runs on the Wolf Pack in the first seven innings, ending the game early on the 10-run rule instituted for the tournament.
The offense erupted in the middle innings, as the Lobos scored 12 runs from the third inning through the fifth. During that span, four Lobos hit home runs, starting with a three-run bomb in the third inning from Carl Stajduhar that gave the Lobos a 3-2 lead.
The Wolf Pack scored three runs in the fourth inning to retake the lead, but another blast put the road squad away for good. Albuquerque native and freshman Andrew Pratt hit his second home run of the tournament straight over the centerfield fence, securing three runs. Dalton Bowers also scored in the fourth to give the Lobos a 7-4 lead.
The biggest inning of work came in the fifth, when DeVito sent a solo shot out of the park to leadoff the side. Three batters later, with one runner on, Reece Weber hit his first home run of the season to put the Lobos in double digits. Gonzalez and Michael Eaton each capped off the side with RBI singles.
The Lobos needed two runs in the seventh to walk off and went to work immediately. Bowers and Gonzalez both reached base to lead off the side with a walk and double, respectively. After one out was posted, Tony Gwynn Player of the Year Stajduhar ended the game on a single to left field, clinching the title and calling on the dog pile.
On the mound, Carson Schneider (8-3) became the third straight starter to earn the victory for the Lobos. He held a red-hot Nevada team to three earned runs over six innings without a walk. Christian Tripp closed the game with a perfect seventh inning.
The Lobos will learn their destination and opponent during the NCAA Selection show on Monday at 10 a.m. MT. Fans can join the team Monday morning at Kelly’s Brew Pub during the program’s official watch party. Fans can also watch the show on ESPNU. All of the Lobos’ postseason games will be aired on ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM.
NOTES: The Lobos outscored their competition during the 3-0 week, 23-8. However, the differential could have been even greater. All eight runs against the Lobos came with two outs on the board and half were unearned…Before the Wolf-Pack were run-ruled by the Lobos, they had eliminated Fresno State and Air Force, both on the run-rule…Christian Tripp’s 25th appearance set the record for a freshman in a season at New Mexico… While many teams reached deep into their bullpen to climb through the tournament, the Lobos’ staff is well rested going into regionals. New Mexico used four pitchers all week: their three starters and Tripp, who pitched twice…Coach Birmingham has now won 19 of 31 MW Tournament games, good for a .613 winning percentage.