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Lobos gear up for home play

by Daniel Schrader

Daily Lobo

It's been a hectic season start for UNM baseball.

The Lobos started with four straight road losses but are coming off a convincing three-game series sweep of intrastate rival New Mexico State - a feat that hasn't been accomplished since 1987.

"With three wins under our belts, we are definitely up in intensity," senior catcher Jeff Grady said.

The Lobos have set their eyes on incoming Texas State. Friday's game will be the teams' first meeting.

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Texas State (6-1), formerly Southwest Texas State, is off to an excellent start.

The team recently completed a two-game series win against Texas-Pan American.

It's only loss came on a Feb. 6 road game at Texas-Arlington.

UNM lost its first three games of the season to the Arizona Wildcats. The No. 12 team in the nation stunned the visiting Lobo squad with a 38-11 total score in a three-game sweep.

The Lobos went on to pocket another loss against the Red Raiders at Texas Tech, 18-6.

"We got embarrassed at Texas Tech," junior catcher A.J. Spitaleri said.

The Lobos returned home to prepare for a three-game series with the Aggies.

"We had one of the best practices ever (the day before the NMSU series)," Spitaleri said.

The wins spawned a couple of Mountain West Conference honors for UNM.

Senior pitcher Karsten Gaarder was named the Mountain West Pitcher of the Week. Gaarder struck out eight Aggie batters in seven innings of play.

Sophomore first baseman Daniel Stovall was named MWC Player of the Week and batted .538 (7-13) against the Aggies.

The losses on the road and wins at home have "shown us what to improve on," head coach Rich Alday said.

The Lobos' victory in the NMSU series has the team 3-0 at Isotopes Park.

"The focus is better," Grady said. "We have to play our best baseball in order to compete. We expect to win."

The completion of the series against the Texas State Bobcats will send the Lobos back on the road to the Rice Tournament in Houston.

The three-day tournament will begin on Feb. 25 with the Lobos taking on Nebraska.

Western Carolina and Rice, the 2003 NCAA champion and host, are the other contenders in the tournament.

"The Rice tournament will show us how we stand," Spitaleri said.

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