Lobos try to keep their MWC edge during trip to Vegas

The homestretch is at hand for the University of New Mexico baseball team. Time to get caffeinated. Already fighting fatigue from a road-heavy schedule, the Lobos (31-16, 16-5 Mountain West) boarded a plane for Las Vegas, Nev., on Thursday. They’ll open a key three-game series tonight against UNLV (20-24, 10-11).

UNM comes in holding first place in the MWC but not by a comfortable margin. Secondplace Fresno State (30-16, 17-7) has been on an extended roll since it got swept in Albuquerque last month. As a result the Lobos must keep winning if they plan to capture the league’s regular-season title.

The schedule is not necessarily in New Mexico’s favor. Six of its final nine games are on the road, while Fresno State has just six MWC games remaining, three on the road.

But the Lobos will play host to the Mountain West Tournament and hold a tiebreaker advantage over FSU for seeding position. Coach Ray Birmingham gave his players an extra day off Wednesday but he believes they have plenty of fight left for the season’s final stretch.

“I tip my cap to these kids,” he said. “It’s been a grueling schedule, but we’re 31-16 and in a good spot. We’re in first place and we’re not playing to hold on. We’re playing to finish it.”

By the time Mountain West Tournament play begins, UNM will have played 32 of its 56 games away from home. In addition to road weariness, the Lobos have battled through their share of illness and injuries, but Birmingham expects no sympathy.

“Every team is tired now,” he said, “maybe not as tired as we are, but we still have a lot to play for. We want to win the conference and go to (NCAA) Regionals. That’s what this program needs, and we’re going to fight for it.”

Up first is UNLV, which has played some of its best baseball in recent weeks. The Rebels have won five of their last six conference games and won a midweek game at Arizona State since dropping two of three at UNM last month.

The Lobos will adjust their pitching rotation, sending normal Sunday starter Colton Thomson to the mound tonight to give junior Carson Schneider extra rest. Tyler Stevens will start Saturday as usual, while Sunday’s starter remains TBD, Birmingham said.

Infielder Payton Squier (.362 batting average) and righthanded starter D.J. Myers (4-2, 4.62 ERA) are UNLV’s top performers.