Mired in a seemingly endless streak of road games with 19 straight contests outside Albuquerque, the Lobos are nonetheless tearing up the Mountain West Conference. The team has won 10 of its last 12 MWC games, and has vaulted past UNLV to take over the No. 1 spot in the conference.
Their leader in batting order and several offensive categories has been junior centerfield sparkplug Matt Young.
Young leads the Lobos in runs (48), and on-base percentage (.470) and he's third in the MWC in hitting (.377). On top of those gaudy numbers, he also is third in the nation with eight triples, and has hit a staggering .559 with runners in scoring position.
"The triples are the coolest," he said when prodded about which stats he's most proud of. "I've never really hit more than one or two and it's nice, personally, to be nationally ranked like that in something."
Young is having his best season yet in what has been an outstanding career at UNM. As a freshman, he was named a Collegiate Freshman All-American, as well as a first team All-Mountain West Conference selection. As a sophomore, Young had two separate 12-game hitting streaks. He's led the team in runs the last two years, and he's hit .385 and .320, respectively, over the last two seasons.
"Scoring all those runs is nice," Young said. "But that's really a team stat. I can get on base, but I won't score any runs until someone brings me home."
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Head coach Rich Alday said Young is a key player to the team.
"He gets on base and makes things happen for us," Alday said.
Young leads the team in stolen bases with 12 on 16 attempts. Shortstop Josh Mader is second on the squad with nine steals.
Young said the triples have come with an improvement in speed that's a result of dedication to off-season lifting and training.
"I've never been a gym rat," he said. "But I was coming off a leg injury and knew that this season I'd have to improve strength in my lower body."
Young said that he and his teammates have worked with trainers to improve their speed and agility and dedication in the months leading up to the season has been the biggest reason for the squad's improved play.
"This has been an unbelievable season," Young said. "It's just been fun to watch all these guys go out and do so well."
The Lobos lead the league in batting (.359), runs (178), slugging (.579), hits (242), RBIs (162) and home runs (32). Mader is the conference's top hitter at .396.
"Everybody just seems to be clicking," Young said. "Our veterans, Mader and Ryan Barba, are playing great, and our freshman have grown up so quick and are just playing outstanding.
Young added the team's bats have come alive while the pitching has become outstanding.
With Young scorching the base paths from his leadoff spot and the other Lobos playing at a fantastically high level as well, the team will look to hang on to its new perch atop the conference. Heading into this weekend's series against Tony Gwynn's San Diego State Aztecs, a regular-season championship is the Lobos to lose.
