The UNM baseball team is set for its annual Cherry and Silver World Series, Nov. 2-4 at Lobo Field.
Head coach Ray Birmingham said he will get an opportunity to evaluate his young team and see what it has learned during fall workouts.
“We have a very young, but very talented team, and our talent level is probably double what it was last year,” he said. “I look around the infield during practice, and I can see every one of them going pro. This will be one of the more exciting practices I’ve had while coaching here.”
The Lobos are coming off their first NCAA postseason appearance since 1962. Birmingham said the returning squad has a lot of freshmen and sophomores on the roster.
The Lobos will play three seven-inning games at the early-November series.
Despite starting over, Birmingham said his goals remain the same as last year: Get back to the NCAA tournament.
“We have strong team chemistry already,” Birmingham said. “My two goals are to build a program that’s recognized around the country and fill my team bus with New Mexico talent, and go to Omaha to play in the World Series.”
In recruiting, Birmingham has made strides.
Collegiate Baseball ranked UNM in the top 40 for recruiting in its yearly evaluation of Division I baseball teams. And the Lobos will need it. Their nonconference schedule consists of Arizona, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Ohio State, Texas Tech, Washington and Minnesota — just to name a few.
“We are looking to be a Top-20 program every year, and I don’t think UNM has ever had a recruiting class that has made it into the top 40,” Birmingham said. “Your talent has a lot to do with that, and we are being mentioned with programs we have never been mentioned with before.”
