Preview: Texans Look to Upset Hot Lobos in Albuquerque

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Interstat) — A surging New Mexico baseball team will put its sterling record on the line when it hosts Tarleton State in a three-game series opener Friday.

The Lobos (12-1) have been one of the nation’s early surprises, with their only blemish a 6-8 road loss to rival New Mexico State on Tuesday. Their offense has been potent, scoring 10 or more runs in six games, including a 24-run outburst against Fordham on Feb. 15.

New Mexico will look to right-hander Tyler Do on the mound. Do pitched five hitless innings in that loss to the Aggies, allowing two earned runs with three strikeouts. His season has been uneven, however, as he surrendered three earned runs in just one inning of work against Northern Colorado on Feb. 22.

The visiting Texans (7-5) are coming off a tight 6-5 win over Baylor on Tuesday, powered by strong relief pitching. A key arm in that bullpen is Andrew Hardin, who earned the win against Baylor with three innings of one-hit, five-strikeout relief. Over his last five appearances, Hardin has allowed just one earned run in 6.1 innings while striking out 10.

Tarleton State has shown resilience, with three of its five losses coming by two runs or fewer, including a 12-inning defeat at Creighton.

For New Mexico, first baseman Gene Trujillo provides power, hitting a three-run homer in the midweek loss. Designated hitter Lenny Ashby also drove in three runs in that game.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 7-5 victory for New Mexico, giving the Lobos a 58.7% probability to win Friday’s contest.

The series continues with a doubleheader Saturday before concluding Sunday. Following the series, New Mexico heads to San Jose State for a conference set, while Tarleton State visits Incarnate Word before hosting Houston Christian.