In fact, the head coach of New Mexico’s baseball team often boasts about how difficult a slate the Lobos play. Another tough schedule is on tap for UNM this season, beginning with the Surprise Tournament in Surprise, Arizona this weekend. The Lobos will face Michigan State today, Northwestern on Saturday and Oregon State on Sunday and Monday.
“Oregon State is the premier program in the country; they were number one in the country all year long last year,” Birmingham said. “That’s who we seek to play. We don’t have any protectionist scheduling here.”
In the Big Ten preseason poll, neither Michigan’s Spartans nor Northwestern’s Wildcats were picked to finish in the top six. Only the top six teams were listed in the 13-team conference.
The Oregon State Beavers were selected to finish fifth in the Pac-12 preseason coaches’ poll. Oregon State is also ranked No. 32 in the NCAA’s poll of the top-35 college baseball teams.
“They’re all very good schools from bigger conferences,” UNM junior closer Victor Sanchez said. “We’re looking to make a name for ourselves and show them what the Lobos can do.”
Both players and coaches have compared this year’s schedule to the 2011 campaign, which included four ranked teams on the schedule. UNM didn’t have much success that year against top-25 teams, going 1-14. That record does not include the conference tournament.
This year’s schedule only includes two top-25 opponents in No. 21 Arizona State and No. 7 Houston. The Lobos will host four of the five games against the Sun Devils and the Cougars.
“If you take a look at our entire schedule, this is one of the hardest schedules that we’ve had,” junior shortstop Jared Holley said. “That was one of the hardest schedules and this one comes close to it.”
UNM picked first in poll
For the third straight year UNM was picked as the favorite in the Mountain West coaches’ preseason poll, released Tuesday.
UNM finished with 30 points and had a league-high three first-place votes. San Diego State was picked to finish second with 28 points, while UNLV (25 points, two first-place votes) and Nevada (25 points, one first-place vote) tied for third place.
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The Lobos also had three players picked to the Mountain West Preseason All-Conference Team: junior second baseman Sam Haggerty, sophomore outfielder Danny Collier and Holley.
“I try to stay away from all that stuff because we just want to have a straight head going into the weekend,” Holley said. “That’s another huge mention, but we just have to go with our same mindset and keep plugging.”
UNM gets TV deal
The Lobos will have 15 home games broadcasted live by uPUBLIC and aired on My50 TV, the team announced Monday.
The Mountain West Network will still broadcast all 29 home games this season online.
“I want everyone from every corner in the state to be in on Lobo baseball because their kids are on this team,” Birmingham said. “TV will help that.”
UNM will have its first seven home games televised, starting on Feb. 27 when the team faces San Francisco. The Lobos’ home game against New Mexico State will also be shown on April 21 by uPUBLIC. Then UNM’s final seven homes games will be broadcast, which include a series against Nevada and San Jose State as well as a Tuesday night game versus Arizona State.
Thomas Romero-Salas is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @ThomasRomeroS.
