BIG WEEK AHEAD
UNM takes on No. 8 Texas Tech, then visits San Diego State
There’s more than one way to look at this week’s midweek baseball series pitting the University of New Mexico and No. 8 Texas Tech.
On one hand it’s a rematch of 2016 NCAA Regional opponents who could easily meet again in postseason this June.
“We always look forward to playing Tech,” Lobo coach Ray Birmingham said. “They have a great program and they’re really loaded this year. They force us to step up our game.”
The Lobos (23-16-1) and Red Raiders (33-10) will square off tonight and Wednesday afternoon at Santa Ana Star Field to complete this season’s four-game series. Texas Tech won the first two midweek contests in Lubbock.
However, both teams might be excused if they’re not 100-percent focused on this non-conference matchup. Both are facing critical league series this weekend.
UNM (14-2-1 Mountain West) travels to San Diego for a three-game set against second-place San Diego State (29-12, 13-5). The Aztecs are the only MWC squad with a realistic chance to overtake the Lobos in the regularseason race, with home-field advantage for the Mountain West tournament going to the first-place finisher.
Texas Tech, meanwhile, will host a crucial three-game series against No. 5 TCU beginning on Friday. The Horned Frogs (11-4 Big 12) are two games ahead of the Red Raiders (11-6) atop the league standings.
With showdown series ahead, neither UNM nor Texas Tech figure to
use any weekend pitchers over the next two days. Still, Birmingham expects both teams to go hard.
“Texas Tech’s midweek pitching is more than good enough,” Birmingham said. “Those guys are better than a lot of teams’ weekend starters. Our hitters are going to have to grind out quality atbats, especially in key situations.”
The Lobos were unable to get key hits in their previous games against the Raiders. They had the bases loaded with one out trailing 5-2 in the eighth inning of game one but failed to score and lost 7-2. In game two, UNM stranded 16 baserunners in the first eight innings and watched a 4-4 fifth-inning tie dissolve into a 12-4 loss.
“We got plenty of hits,” Birmingham said, “but not when it mattered. Tech got hits when it mattered.”
New Mexico is coming off a weekend sweep of UNLV during which its scored 37 runs. Jared Mang went 10 for 13 at the plate to lead the Lobos, while Carl Stajduhar homered in all three games and drove in 10 runs in the series.
Texas Tech dropped two of three games to Oklahoma State over the weekend but has outscored its opponents 302-166 this season. The Red Raiders are paced at the plate by shortstop Orlando Garcia (.305 batting average, 10 homers, 45 RBIs).
Senior left-hander Carson Schneider (2-0, 4.39 ERA) is expected to start for the Lobos today.
NOTE: Birmingham and Lobo shortstop Hayden Schilling were ejected from Sunday’s 11-9 win over UNLV for arguing balls and strikes. As a result, Schilling must sit out today’s opener against Texas Tech. Players and assistant coaches receive one-game suspensions for game misconduct toward an umpire. Head coaches are ejected only from the game in progress unless their arguing is deemed to be “prolonged” or contains offensive language or excessive expressions. Such offenses merit two-game suspensions.