{"id":217098,"date":"2026-03-23T21:21:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T21:21:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/217098\/"},"modified":"2026-03-23T21:21:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T21:21:20","slug":"lobos-head-to-lubbock-for-midweek-matchup-with-red-raiders-new-mexico-lobos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/217098\/","title":{"rendered":"Lobos Head to Lubbock for Midweek Matchup With Red Raiders – New Mexico Lobos"},"content":{"rendered":"

ALL-TIME SERIES
UNM is 51-81-1 against Texas Tech all-time and 20-54 against the Red Raiders in Lubbock. Tod Brown<\/a> is 4-5 against TTU in his tenure at UNM.<\/p>\n

The Lobos have won four of the last six meetings between the two teams, coming off back-to-back wins for the first time since 2015.<\/p>\n

In 2024, UNM fell 8-11 in the two teams\u2019 first meeting in ABQ (3\/5\/2024) before thumping them on the road in Lubbock (17-3, 4\/23\/2024) to secure the season series split. They won their lone matchup with the Red Raiders in 2025 15-5 in eight innings (April 8).<\/p>\n

UNM has won four of the last five meetings between the two teams in Albuquerque.<\/p>\n

BROWN KEEPS WINNING
\u2022 \u00a0With New Mexico\u2019s 15-9 start, Head Coach Tod Brown<\/a> is now above .500 win percentage in his tenure in Albuquerque with a 120-116 record.
\u2022 \u00a0The Lobos have increased their winning percentage from the year before in each of the last three seasons (21-33 in 2022, 26-25 in 2023, 28-26 in 2024, 30-23 in 2025).<\/p>\n

LAST WEEKEND (VS. ABILENE CHRISTIAN, 3\/20-22)
\u2022 \u00a0New Mexico went 1-2 over the weekend series against Abilene Christian, hitting .303 as a team with 33 hits, 23 runs and four homers while posting a 9.00 team ERA across the three games.
\u2022 \u00a0The Lobos produced consistent offense throughout the series, finishing with a .303\/.397\/.495 slash line and 13 extra-base hits. They drew 12 walks, were hit by seven pitches, and went a perfect 13-for-13 on stolen bases.
\u2022 \u00a0Luke Mansy<\/a> led the team with a .500 average (4-for-8) and a team-best .643 OBP, scoring four runs.
\u2022 \u00a0Khalil Walker<\/a> hit .455 (5-for-11) with a team-high .818 slugging percentage, adding a home run and three RBI. Anthony Diaz<\/a> went 5-for-13 (.385), driving in a team-high five RBI while scoring four runs.
\u2022 \u00a0Karsen Waslefsky<\/a> also collected five hits (.357) with four RBI and a home run, scoring a team-best five runs.
\u2022 \u00a0Brodey Williams<\/a> provided power in limited action, hitting .400 (2-for-5) with a home run and a team-best 1.200 slugging percentage.
\u2022 \u00a0On the mound, New Mexico pitchers combined for a 9.00 ERA over 28.0 innings, allowing 36 hits, 28 runs and 10 home runs while striking out 34.<\/p>\n

BIG MIDWEEK WIN IN THE DESERT
New Mexico Baseball earned a statement midweek win on Tuesday night, taking down Arizona 6-3 at Hi Corbett Field for its first road win over the Wildcats since 2019 and first victory in the series since 2022.<\/p>\n

The Lobos (14-7, 1-2 MW) totaled 11 hits and used a decisive four-run third inning to flip the game after Arizona (7-13, 1-2 Big 12) plated three runs in the second.<\/p>\n

LOBOS TAKE DOWN THE ‘CATS IN TUCSON! pic.twitter.com\/NWLG3I1aUi<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 UNM Baseball (@UNMLoboBaseball) March 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

After falling behind 3-1, New Mexico responded immediately in the third, stringing together three hits and capitalizing on a passed ball to score four runs. RBI singles from Luke Mansy<\/a> and Khalil Walker<\/a> along with a sacrifice fly from Anthony Diaz<\/a> highlighted the inning as the Lobos took a 5-3 lead they would not relinquish.<\/p>\n

In the previous 203 meetings between the two programs since 1940, the Lobos had only won 16 times in Tucson. It’s just the fifth road win over Arizona for the Lobos since 1997.<\/p>\n

New Mexico added an insurance run in the fifth on Diaz\u2019s second sacrifice fly of the game \u2013 Diaz finished with two RBI despite not recording a hit.<\/p>\n

At the plate, Gene Trujillo<\/a> led the way with a 3-for-5 performance, while Mansy (2-for-4, two runs, RBI) and Walker (3-for-4, RBI) also turned in multi-hit efforts.<\/p>\n

Out of the bullpen, LHP Samuel Jackson<\/a> (1-0) delivered a pivotal outing, tossing three scoreless innings to stabilize the game after the early deficit and earn his first win as a Lobo. UNM\u2019s relief corps was dominant overall, combining for 7 1\/3 innings of scoreless baseball to close it out and stifle the Wildcats’ hopes of a comeback.<\/p>\n

RHP Talor Grubbs<\/a> secured the win with a scoreless ninth to earn his first save of the season.<\/p>\n

CASTILLO NAMED TO NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
After a shutdown start to the season on the mound in 2026, New Mexico RHP\u00a0Ryan Castillo<\/a>\u00a0has been named to the College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year Watch List, the organization announced Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The junior righty is one of just 142 pitchers to make the cut for the list, which represents 26 different conferences and reflect the top mound performers to this point of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n

Castillo has taken a major step forward on the mound in 2026, going 3\u20131 with a 2.78 ERA over four starts while striking out 28 batters in 22.2 innings and holding opponents to a .171 batting average. He struck out a career-high 10 batters in six innings vs. Tarleton State, improving his average to 11.12 K\/9 innings.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been quite the breakout season for the junior and Los Lunas native, who posted a 11.95 ERA in 2024 and an 8.65 ERA in 2025 while allowing opponents to hit .402 and .354, respectively. In 2026, Castillo has nearly cut his career ERA in half this season while lowering his WHIP to 0.97 and recording 28 strikeouts after totaling 61 over his first two seasons combined.<\/p>\n

WASLEFSKY NAMED TO BROOKS WALLACE AWARD WATCH LIST
New Mexico\u2019s\u00a0Karsen Waslefsky<\/a>\u00a0has been named to the Watch List for the College Baseball Foundation\u2019s Brooks Wallace Award, the organization announced Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n

The award honors the nation’s top shortstop and will be presented by the College Baseball Foundation later this year. It is named for former Texas Tech shortstop Brooks Wallace, who played for the Red Raiders from 1977 to 1980. Wallace died of leukemia at the age of 27.<\/p>\n

Waslefsky, a senior for the 12-1 Lobos, was one of 100 shortstops selected to the Watch List.<\/p>\n

GARRETT REDE<\/a> THE HERO
\u2022 With the Lobos unblemished start on the line in Game 2 of Saturday’s doubleheader, it was grad senior and Rio Rancho native Garrett Rede<\/a> who delivered when it mattered most. With the Lobos trailing 2-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth, Rede came up with an RBI double that brought in two runs and retook the lead. When the Tommies responded with an equalizer in the top of the ninth, he produced again, hitting a game-winning single with the bases loaded to walk it off and secure the series win.
\u2022 He earned the start in left field on Sunday as a reward and kept rolling, blasting a two-run homer that gave the Lobos a lead they wouldn’t relinquish the rest of the way as they completed the sweep.<\/p>\n

2026 OUTLOOK
\u2022 After another season in which the Lobos improved their winning percentage and made the Mountain West Tournament with one of their best offensive seasons in recent memory, New Mexico looks to be a threat to win the Mountain West in its final season with Fresno State, San Diego State and Washington State in the conference.
\u2022 Heading into Head Coach Tod Brown<\/a>\u2019s fifth year at the helm, the Lobos return three players that batted above .300 last season in starting roles and a total of nine upperclassmen pitching returners \u2013 eight of which with eight or more appearances last season \u2013 that combined for 217 innings of work.\u00a0
\u2022 The Lobos\u2019 2026 roster is its most experienced in Brown\u2019s tenure, with 18 seniors — six of which being graduate seniors — and 29 of 36 players being upperclassmen.<\/p>\n

TOP BATTING TEAM IN THE NATION IN 2025
New Mexico led the entirety of NCAA D-I in team batting average (.337) and doubles per game (2.79) at the conclusion of the 2026 season, capping off a historic year that saw the Lobos rank among the Top 20 teams in the nation in seven different offensive categories. Four different Lobos ranked among the Top 100 in the nation in individual batting average — Khalil Walker<\/a> (#23, .397), Jordy Oriach<\/a> (#29, .395), Josh McAlister<\/a> (#78, .371) and Ethan Ott<\/a> (#91, .368) — they ranked Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 5 in the Mountain West.<\/p>\n

UNM\u2019s huge offensive year also saw the Lobos match a program record with 93 homers and notch the second-highest team slugging (.574) and sixth-best on-base percentage (.425) in school history.<\/p>\n

Stat
\nRank
\nValue<\/p>\n

Batting Average
\n1
\n0.337<\/p>\n

Home Runs Per Game
\n16
\n1.75<\/p>\n

Doubles Per Game
\n1
\n2.79<\/p>\n

Total Doubles
\n4
\n148<\/p>\n

Triples Per Game
\n69
\n0.26<\/p>\n

Total Triples
\n69
\n14<\/p>\n

Slugging Percentage
\n3
\n0.574<\/p>\n

On Base Percentage
\n13
\n0.425<\/p>\n

Scoring
\n8
\n9.2<\/p>\n

Fielding Percentage
\n98
\n0.973<\/p>\n

ASHBY\u2019S BIG RETURN
After spending the 2024 season at Kansas and winning the NCAA D-II Championship with Tampa in 2025, Lenny Junior Ashby<\/a> is once more a Lobo for his final year of collegiate eligibility. The Aruban outfielder was a two-time All-MW selection in his first two seasons at UNM in 2022 and 2023, batting for a .361 average across 105 appearances in that span to go with 36 doubles, 26 homers, 110 RBI and 88 runs scored.
In his four years of collegiate baseball, Ashby has batted .325 in 205 games, driving in 165 runs and scoring 145 more while hitting 51 doubles, four triples and 36 homers.<\/p>\n

SUPER SENIORS ABOUND
UNM boasts six graduate seniors on this year\u2019s roster \u2013 OF Lenny Junior Ashby<\/a>, RHP Josh Barnhouse<\/a>, LHP Matthew Cornelius<\/a>, OF Garrett Rede<\/a>, LHP Matthew Romero<\/a> and OF Khalil Walker<\/a> \u2013 with Barnhouse, Cornelius, Romero and Walker all returning from last season. In total, the Lobos have 18 seniors on roster, the most Coach Tod Brown<\/a> has had on a team in Albuquerque.<\/p>\n

THE BULLPEN
\u2022 2025 weekend starters RHP Ryan Castillo<\/a> and RHP Cristian Mogen<\/a> both look to headline the Lobos\u2019 staff after promising performances in starting roles last season.
\u2022 After racking up 10 saves last season, RHP Ty Cunningham<\/a> (21 App., 5.91 ERA, 32 IP) will move into a more high-volume non-closing role this year — high-leverage relievers Josh Barnhouse<\/a> (28 App., 6.07 ERA, 43 IP) and Luke Wiseman<\/a> (25 App., 4.45 ERA, 30.1) also project to work more innings in their final collegiate seasons after being reliable in 2025.
\u2022 RHP Talor Grubbs<\/a> (East Carolina) and Logan Barnett<\/a> (Dayton\/Heartland CC) add two more physical arms with D1 experience.
\u2022 Lefties Matt Cornelius (8 App.) and Matthew Romero<\/a> (12 App.) both return for a grad year to make it nine returning arms with multiple appearances last season.<\/p>\n

THE LINEUP
\u2022 A pair of two-time All-MW outfielders stand out in UNM\u2019s new-look lineup — two-time MW batting champion Khalil Walker<\/a> (.396 career avg.) and the returning Lenny Junior Ashby<\/a> (.325 career avg.).
\u2022 The lefty power bat Ashby (26 HR, 110 career RBI at UNM) looks to replace the production of Regional POTY Jordy Oriach<\/a> after he transferred to Georgia in the offseason.
\u2022 The Lobos also get back Albuquerque native Akili Carris<\/a> for his senior season after a productive 2025 that saw him hit a career-high .345 on the season and drive in 44 runs — he\u2019s started at third base in 71 games over the last two seasons.
\u2022 Luke Mansy<\/a> (.353 average in 2025) returns after becoming a crucial part of UNM\u2019s lineup down the stretch last season, as does SS Karsen Waslefsky<\/a> (.298 average, 116 assists, .959 fielding percentage in 2025).
\u2022 Hawaii transfer Aidan Kuni<\/a> looks to hold it down at first base and Houston transfer Tristan Russell<\/a> will contend for an infield starting spot. Juco transfers Anthony Diaz<\/a> (College of Central Florida) and Antonio Gianni<\/a> (Central Arizona) also slot in as options in the outfield, as do Damian Garcia<\/a> (Texas Southern) and Garrett Rede<\/a> (Regis).<\/p>\n

LONG BALL LOBOS
In 2025, 15 different players combined for 93 New Mexico home runs to match a school single-season record set in 2003. UNM ranked 30th in NCAA D1 in total homers and averaged 1.75 homers per game, good for 16th in the nation.
Josh McAlister<\/a> (17) ranked third in the MW in total bombs, with Jordy Oriach<\/a> (16) and Ethan Ott<\/a> (16) just behind. Will Asby<\/a> (13), Tye Wood<\/a> (5), Andrew Neil<\/a> (4), Caleb Herd<\/a> (4), Karsen Waslefsky<\/a> (5), Gene Trujillo<\/a> (3) and Khalil Walker<\/a> (4) all finished with multiple.<\/p>\n

Rank
\nHome Runs
\nSeason<\/p>\n

T1
\n93
\n2025<\/p>\n

T1
\n93
\n2003<\/p>\n

2
\n91
\n1998<\/p>\n

3
\n87
\n2023<\/p>\n

4
\n85
\n1999<\/p>\n

5
\n82
\n2005<\/p>\n

6
\n75
\n2004<\/p>\n

7
\n72
\n2024<\/p>\n

8
\n70
\n1985<\/p>\n

9
\n69
\n2005<\/p>\n

10
\n67
\n2022<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n