The Lobos will attempt to take down an entire wolf pack in a three-game dogfight this weekend at Isotopes Park.
The Lobos are set to face off against the Nevada Wolfpack, and sophomore first-baseman DJ Peterson said the Wolfpack is not to be taken likely.
“We’re going to approach Nevada like they’re the No. 1 team in the country,” he said. “We’re going to come right at them like anybody else.”
Head coach Ray Birmingham said Nevada is the first of many tough teams that the Lobos will face this season.
“They’re good,” he said. “Everyone on our schedule the last two years is good. We have one of the toughest schedules in the country this year.”
Junior pitcher Austin House, who will be getting the first start of the season on Friday, said he is not concerned about Nevada, but rather his team.
“I’m more focused on us and what we’re doing,” he said. “There is nothing really special about them, that I know of.”
Despite winning the MWC tournament last year, the Lobos were picked to finish third in the conference in the Mountain West Preseason Poll, and second by Baseball America. Birmingham said he was not pleased by the polls.
“It angers me,” he said. “I am on a mission. I’m here to prove that New Mexico is as good as anybody.”
TCU was picked by both polls to win the conference this year. Peterson said he has a different opinion on who is going to come out on top at the end of the year.
“I think we’re going to win it regardless of the votes,” he said. “No matter what anyone says, I think we’re going to take it from TCU this year.”
Peterson said there is no pressure on him to perform well this weekend, despite being picked as a preseason All-American, because he is being supported by good teammates.
“I think our whole team is pretty solid,” he said. “We have a lot of guys hitting behind me very well and I’m just ready to start the season.”
The Wolfpack is tied with NMSU to finish fourth in the Western Athletic Conference preseason poll. The team has one player, pitcher Tom Jameson, who was picked to the preseason All-WAC team. It has eight seniors returning from last year’s 24-31 team.
The Lobos have two players, Peterson and short stop Alex Allbritton, who were selected to the MWC preseason all-conference team.
House will be starting on the mound for the first time in a season home-opener in his Lobo career, and said he is looking forward to playing in front of his family.
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“It will be good to open up a series here at home so my family can watch,” he said. “I feel confident and I’m just going to give it the best I can.”
