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Third time nipping at TCU's heels for No. 1

No, it’s not just Ray Birmingham’s patented hyperbole.

By virtue of its 14-3 league record, and storied, year-to-year dominance, TCU is the team to beat in the Mountain West Conference.
Not only that, said the Lobos’ head baseball coach.

“They very well could be the team to beat in Omaha,” Birmingham said.

First, though, the Lobos will take a crack at unseating the Horned Frogs from their proverbial conference lily pad during Friday’s toe-the-rubber matchup, the first in a three-game series between the two conference foes at Isotopes Park.

To be assured of first place in the MWC, the Lobos, 30-15 overall and 12-5 in the MWC, must sweep TCU to take over sole possession of first place. Any other way leaves open a Chex Mix of possibilities.

In the event that UNM takes two of three games from TCU, it will still trail TCU by a game.

Even so, who takes home the regular-season title is largely contingent on what both teams do at the end of the season. The Lobos still have a three-game series scheduled with Utah. On the other hand, the Horned Frogs close the conference season with four games against Air Force, since Game 3 of the two’s previous series’ meeting on March 28 was halted in the seventh inning with the Falcons up 16-15. That game will resume before the second game of TCU’s upcoming series with Air Force, which will take place from May 14-16. Already, Air Force beat TCU once this season.

On that note, Birmingham’s spiel about playing perfect baseball is still, by no means, an exercise in exaggeration.
Definitively, Birmingham has relayed the importance of playing unblemished baseball to his players.

Lobo outfielder Chris Juarez sounded like he looked off Birmingham’s index cards before talking with reporters.

“Any team will tell you you’re going to have to play all-around great baseball,” he said. “We’re going to have to do everything very, very well.”

Of further note, this marks the third consecutive season the Lobos have been nipping at the Horned Frogs’ heels.

“You don’t have to tell me that. I know,” Birmingham said. “I’m going to say the third time is the charm.”

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In the same breath, Birmingham said UNM’s pitching needs to round into shape. So far, the Lobos are 103rd in the nation in earned run average. That pales in comparison to TCU, which is 17th in the category, allowing just 3.76 runs per game.

“You can’t hit your way to Omaha,” he said.

Perhaps not, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t incentive for UNM to swing the sticks well against TCU. To date, the Lobos haven’t had problems putting up runs in bunches. They rank in the top 10 in batting average, doubles per game and batting average. They’ve racked up runs, too — 395 exactly.

Still, Birmingham admitted that getting three consecutive starts out of his pitchers has been the crux of the Lobos’ problems.
“It has been a big challenge,” Birmingham said. “I’ve been to church. I’ve been to confession. I’ve done a rosary. Whatever it takes.”
It will take everything the Lobos have, plus more. Just two years ago, UNM was on the cusp of earning an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament, only to see TCU reel off two consecutive games in the double-elimination championship game.

Yet, because UNM played a tougher, meat-grinder schedule this year, Birmingham said the Lobos are equipped to handle the heat that end-of-season hearth generates.

“I told a guy today, ‘If you’re going to be a great boxer, fight Ali first,’” Birmingham said.

But if Texas — which the Lobos beat to start the season — is Ali, TCU is Frazier. At Sunday’s end, a champ could potentially be crowned.

*Baseball vs. TCU
Friday
Noon
Isotopes Park*

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