Lobos Host CSU-Pueblo in Midweek Action Tuesday

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Fresh off a Sunday win over Mountain West-leading Fresno State that snapped their longest losing streak of the season, the New Mexico Lobos (17-17, 8-7 MW) play host to D-II CSU Pueblo (23-17) at Santa Ana Star Field in midweek action on Tuesday night.

The Lobos handed the Bulldogs (25-10, 14-4 MW) their first conference loss in their last 11 games to get back in the win column after an eight-game skid – their only losing streak of more than two games this season. They remain in third place in the league standings going into a pivotal weekend series on the road against a second-place Air Force team that took a series from No. 15 Dallas Baptist at home last weekend.

UNM will host the Thunderwolves for the second year in a row after splitting two games with them last season in Albuquerque (8-7, 6-8) in their first meeting since 1994. The Lobos are 23-6 against CSU-Pueblo all-time in a series that dates back to 1968, with all 29 matchups taking place in Albuquerque.

Tuesday is Jackie Robinson Day and Lobos Love Pink Day at Santa Ana Star Field, with #42 commemorative stickers free to all fans and a special first pitch ceremony. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. MT – the action will be live streamed via the MW Network with live stats available via GoLobos.com/BSBStats. Follow @UNMLoboBaseball on IG, X and Facebook for promotional/marketing and gameday updates, behind-the-scenes content and more.

JACKIE ROBINSON DAY / LOBOS LOVE PINK DAY: Commemorative #42 sticker giveaway with a special first pitch ceremony!

vs. CSU-Pueblo (23-17, 12-12 RMAC)
April 16 | Albuquerque, N.M. | Santa Ana Star Field

PROBABLE STARTERS
CSU-Pueblo: RHP Nick Perry (1-3, 22.0 IP, 7.36 ERA, 20 K, 12 BB)
UNM: TBA

ALL-TIME SERIES
UNM leads the all-time series against CSU-Pueblo (formerly Southern Colorado) 23-6, with all 29 games being played in Albuquerque. Last season was the first time the two teams squared off since 1994 — they split a pair of games at home April 11-12, 2023, with UNM taking the first (8-7) before falling in the second, 6-8. UNM has won eight of the last 10 meetings.

LAST TIME OUT (vs. Fresno State, 4/14)
UNM snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 6-2 win over MW-leading Fresno State on Sunday, scoring the final four runs of the game behind impressive outings on the mound from David Lopez (7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) and Wil Bannister (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K) to hand the Bulldogs (25-10, 14-4 MW) their first conference loss in their last 11.

The Lobos got back in the win column after their longest losing streak of the season brought them below .500 for the first time since the first weekend of the season in February – they remain in third place in the Mountain West standings at the halfway point in league play. UNM has only played three games in which the Lobos come in with a winning percentage below .500 this season — they’re 3-0 in those games.

Jake Holland hit his 13th homer of the season – and third in the last 24 hours – to put UNM up by one early and Reed Spenrath hit his seventh of the year to lead an eight-hit day for UNM. On the weekend, Holland went 7-for-14 with nine RBI, three home runs and a triple, good for a 1.286 slugging percentage and 1.849 OPS – he is now riding the longest hit streak on the team at six games and leads the Mountain West in home runs (13).

Spenrath finished with a team-high two RBI and Akili Carris was the only player on either team to finish with multiple hits after singling twice and scoring a run. Four other Lobos – Will Asby (1 RBI), Tye Wood (1 HBP), Devon Dixon and Khalil Walker (1 R, 1 BB) picked up a knock each. After a six-game hitless streak, Dixon has now hit safely in three straight, with Asby finishing with five hits this weekend after going hitless in four of his last five prior.

“Huge win for us because we’ve been on a little bit of a losing streak,” said Spenrath. “It might not have looked like it, but the last two games we came together as a family … not as individuals, but as a team.

“This is a big one for us, just to see it in the win column and know we can still do it –  we’re gonna take that with us to Tuesday’s game and at Air Force.”

SCOUTING THE T-WOLVES
Despite winning five of their last seven with back-to-back weekend series wins over No. 11 Colorado Mesa and Colorado Christian, the Pack remains in sixth place in the D-II RMAC league standings with three weeks left in the regular season. They’re batting .326 as a team with four qualified players batting above a .320 clip and all of their top seven hitters by average above .296, good for an average of 9.45 hits and 12.07 runs per nine innings. Pueblo touts a 7.13 team ERA with nine pitchers having thrown at least 15 innings.

ON DECK
The Lobos hit the road to continue Mountain West play next weekend on the road at second-place Air Force (15-19, 8-6 MW) April 19-21 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Falcons are coming off a loud series win over then-No. 15 Dallas Baptist, walking off the Patriots in the finale for a 7-5 win to seal the series.

All three games this weekend will be broadcast via the MW Network, with live stats available via GoLobos.com/BSBStats. Follow @UNMLoboBaseball on socials for promotional/marketing and gameday updates, behind-the-scenes content and more.