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Sports

Isotopes set attendance record in debut as Mariachis de Nuevo Mexico

Cameron Goeldner | May 5

The Mariachis de Nuevo Mexico made their debut on Saturday night to much fanfare in front of a record crowd of 16,975 at Isotopes Park, with a 4-1 win over Los Chihuahuas de El Paso. The crowd broke both attendance records that the club keeps, the previous high for a non Fourth of July weekend game was 15,321, which was set on June 23, 2009 when Manny Ramirez made a rehab appearance with the Isotopes. The previous all-time record was set on July 4, 2014 with a crowd of 16,348. “I was blown away by the crowd today, we didn’t expect to break the all-time record,” Isotopes General Manager John Traub said. Traub said that he hadn’t even considered the possibility of breaking the record until a few days ago when he saw the number of advanced ticket sales.

Sports

Softball: Lobos use the long ball to take down Aztecs, give coach win No. 400

Cameron Goeldner | May 5

University of New Mexico head softball coach Paula Congleton recorded the 400th win of her coaching career in a 5-2 win over the San Diego State Aztecs on Friday night. “I’m really excited, I’m really proud of that,” Congleton said. “I’m really glad that it’s here at UNM. As an alumni, just bringing this program back it’s exciting.” The Aztecs opened the scoring in the top of the first inning off of Lobos starter Jensen Main, as a Shelby Thompson one out single was followed by a single from Katie Byrd that advanced Thompson to third. She came around to score on a Kelsey Munoz single to open up an early 1-0 lead. Main was able to strand the remaining runners, two of 11 runners on the night that the Aztecs left on base.

Sports

Women’s Basketball: Lobos sign UTEP transfer Najala Howell

Matthew Narvaiz | May 2

The University of New Mexico women’s basketball team signed yet another player to its program this offseason. Najala Howell, who played the last three years at UTEP, made the decision to become a Lobo, UNM head coach Mike Bradbury announced on Wednesday. Howell will have to sit out the 2018-19 season due to NCAA transfer rules. “I chose New Mexico because this program is the perfect fit for me,” Howell said, according to a press release. “I'm excited because it's been a long time coming, and I know for a fact that nothing but blessings are coming this way for me and for the Lobos.” Howell, a 5-10 guard/forward, played and started in all 31 of UTEP’s games last season. She averaged 11.9 points per game, which was the second most of any player on her team last season. She also averaged 6.3 rebounds and shot 82.4 percent from the free throw line last season.

Sports

Baseball: Lobos start nine freshmen at NMSU, fall 13-2

Matthew Narvaiz | May 2

Playing on the road at New Mexico State, and starting nine freshmen in the process, didn’t work out in the University of New Mexico baseball team’s favor. Instead, the veteran-laced Aggies trampled the Lobos 13-2 on Tuesday evening in Las Cruces. This was the second matchup between the two teams, with NMSU winning both contests. With the loss, UNM dropped its record to 15-28-1 overall, while the Aggies are now 29-16 overall.

Sports

Softball: San Jose St completes sweep of Lobos

Cameron Goeldner | April 30

The University of New Mexico Softball team dropped the final two games to San Jose State as the Spartans completed the sweep to open their new softball field. Game One The New Mexico softball team blew a late 1-0 on Saturday against San Jose State in the second game of the series, the Spartans won 2-1 on a walk off in the bottom of the seventh. Krissy Fortner got the start for the Lobos and pitched a complete game, six and a third innings, allowing three hits, two runs, one earned, with one strikeout. It was Fortner’s first complete game of the season.

Sports

Baseball: Lobos drop first two in road test against SJSU

Matthew Narvaiz | April 29

The University of New Mexico baseball team, coming off of a split against Grand Canyon during the week, had no such luck against San Jose State — dropping the first two games of a weekend series on the road agains the Spartans. The Lobos haven't fared well at all on the road this season, winning just four games all year for an anemic 4-13 record in true road games. Though the team is 3-3 in neutral site matchups, UNM simply hasn't had positive results when playing outside the friendly confines of Santa Ana Star Field.

Sports

Softball: Lobos drop game one to Spartans on the road

Cameron Goeldner | April 28

The New Mexico softball team (12-33, 5-11 MW) was unable to spoil the christening of San Jose State's (28-15, 12-6 MW) new field on Friday night, as the Spartans won 3-1. The Spartans opened the scoring right away, putting a run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. Senior Emma Entzminger recorded the first hit of the game with an infield single, and then stole second to move into scoring position.

Sports

Softball: Offensive woes continue for Lobos

Cameron Goeldner | April 26

Defensive struggles for the University of New Mexico softball team once again reared their head on Wednesday night in a 3-1 loss to the No. 10 Arizona Wildcats in Tucson. Jensen Main had put in one of her best performances of the season for the Lobos, holding the Wildcats to just four hits on the night. The Wildcats opened the scoring in the second with two unearned runs after an error by Kristyn Whitley at third on what would have been the third out allowed a runner to reach. The next batter, Ivy Davis hit a two run home run to give Arizona an early 2-0 lead.

Sports

Softball: Lobos travel to take on San Jose State

Cameron Goeldner | April 26

The Lobos are coming off a series loss to Utah State at home last weekend, as well as a midweek loss on Wednesday night to No. 10 Arizona, 3-1. The Spartans come into the weekend with a 27-15 (11-6 MW) record and are coming off a series victory on the road at Colorado State last weekend. SJSU is currently sitting third in the conference.

Sports

Baseball: Lobos fall to Grand Canyon in first of a two-game set

Matthew Narvaiz | April 25

The University of New Mexico baseball team fell to Grand Canyon by a score of 7-3 on Tuesday evening on the road in Phoenix, Arizona in the first of a two game series between the two teams. Grand Canyon started off the game hot, scoring three runs in the first inning while holding the Lobos scoreless in top half of the frame. Senior right-hander James Harrington, New Mexico’s starter on Tuesday, pitched a lot better as the game progressed. But after a sloppy first inning, which was aided by a fielding error that scored an unearned run, the Lobos were playing from behind.

Sports

Baseball: Lobos break 10-game skid with series victory over UNLV

Matthew Narvaiz | April 22

The University of New Mexico baseball team broke a 10-game losing streak over the weekend, after defeating UNLV in a weekend series at Santa Ana Star Field. On Friday in the series opener, the Lobos moved past the Rebels after freshman Garrett Gouldsmith knocked home his first career homer run, a three run shot down the right field line, to win 8-5. On Saturday, UNM dominated UNLV, 11-2, after a five run second inning gave them the lead for good. Sophomore pitcher Cody Dye was dominant, too, pitching all nine innings and allowing just two runs on seven hits during the game, while also striking out four and walking four.

Sports

Hockey: Lobos campaigning to support Humboldt Broncos

Robert Maler | April 22

Earlier this month, the Humboldt Broncos' team bus was involved in a collision with a semitruck near the intersection of two Saskatchewan highways — resulting in the death of 16 people and the injury of many others. Humboldt, a city located in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada is where the Canadian junior hockey squad called home. And although it is nestled over 1,500 miles away from Albuquerque, a road trip of over 24 hours, UNM head hockey coach Grant Harvey said it hit close to home. "It’s so crazy, I don’t (have a connection to the Humboldt Broncos) at all," Harvey said. "It took me a little bit of time because it made this weird feeling in my stomach like it had happened to us."

News

Regents approve athletics proposal

Cameron Goeldner and Danielle Prokop | April 19

The Board of Regents voted 6-to-1 Tuesday to approve the Department of Athletics’ proposal to balance the budget and start a repayment plan for the millions of dollars in accumulated deficit to the University. Student regent Garrett Adcock, a former Lobo football player, was the lone dissenting vote. Regent President Robert Doughty said the plan was a step in the right direction, but the BOR is still awaiting the creation of a line-by-line itemized budget from athletics.

Sports

Baseball: Lobos fall to Texas Tech at home

Matthew Narvaiz | April 19

On a gusty Tuesday afternoon at Santa Ana Star Field, the ball seemed to be flying. However, things didn’t go the University of New Mexico’s way as they fell to No. 5 Texas Tech 20-9, in a game of offensive firepower. This marked UNM’s tenth straight loss, which ties for the longest losing streak in Ray Birmingham’s 11 years as head coach of the Lobos. TTU opened up the game with two runs in the first inning, both of which came on RBI singles to take an early lead. But, in the bottom of the first inning, UNM had an answer for the Red Raiders, as junior Jared Mang was able to notch a two-run double, while his brother, freshman Connor Mang, picked up an RBI after grounding out into a double play in which Jared Mang scored, all but putting the Lobos up 3-2.

Sports

Men’s Tennis: UNM defeats rivals Boise State in third straight weekend split

Matthieu Cartron | April 17

In back-to-back home fixtures over the weekend, the University of New Mexico (13-10) lost 4-1 to Utah State (16-8) on Friday but responded two days later with a dramatic 4-3 victory over rivals Boise State (9-17). Tied 3-3 against the Broncos, the deciding point fell onto the shoulders of UNM senior and Albuquerque native Sean Baklini, who at the No. 6 position was pitted against Bronco senior Ryland McDermott. McDermott, 8-10 in singles this year, won the first set against Baklini 6-4, putting the Broncos one step closer to clinching the overall victory. But in the second set, Baklini fought for survival, and after forcing a second-set tiebreak, won the second set 7-6 (7-5) to force a third set.

Sports

Men's Basketball: Team continues to add to its roster

Cameron Goeldner | April 16

In a 48 hour period that began Friday, the Lobos added three new commitments for the 2018-19 season. The Lobos additions began with junior college transfers Keith McGee, Karim Ezzeddine, as well as high school combo guard Tavian Percy. McGee, a guard, played last season at South Plains College in Texas, appearing in 32 games with 22 starts. He averaged 7.8 points, 2.7 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game for the Texans, playing 21.2 minutes per game. “I picked UNM because it fits me, McGee said. “It’s a basketball school and The Pit Is beautiful.” He picked the Lobos over UMass and Missouri State. Ezzeddine, a forward who played last season at Northwest Florida State, is originally from Paris, France. He averaged 7.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in 34 games last season.

News

Men's soccer: UNM sport being 'very seriously considered' for cut

Cameron Goeldner | April 16

The University of New Mexico men’s soccer program is being "very seriously" looked at as a sport to cut, according to an email sent out this afternoon by head coach Jeremy Fishbein. In a meeting Monday morning, athletic director Eddie Nuñez told Fishbein that men’s soccer was one of the sports being seriously considered to be discontinued in order to save money for a department that has failed to balance its budget in eight of the last 10 years.

Sports

Track and Field: Small collection of Lobos achieve big marks at Triton Invitational

Alanie Rael | April 16

The Lobo track and field team competed in sunny La Jolla C.A. on Friday and Saturday at the UC San Diego Triton Invitational as a small collection of Lobo athletes represented UNM well with some solid showings. New Mexico notched one individual victory and had over a dozen top-10 finishes at the meet, led by a standout performance from women's high jumper Ada'ora Chigbo. Chigbo took first-place honors in the high jump, clearing a height of 5 feet, 8 3/4 inches on her third attempt to win the event — a jump that was good enough for the seventh-best mark in program history.

Sports

Softball: Lobos lose to UTEP

Cameron Goeldner | April 16

The University of New Mexico softball team lost an afternoon affair to the University of El Paso Miners on Monday, 7-0. UTEP opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, as Kaitlyn Rider drove in Courtney Clayton on a single to right field to score the first run of the game and give the Miners a 1-0 lead heading into the second.

Sports

Baseball: Lobos get swept in weekend series at Nevada

Matthew Narvaiz | April 15

The University of New Mexico baseball team was swept by the Nevada Wolf Pack over the weekend in Reno, Nevada, as they lost all three games, including its last nine games in a row. On Friday in the series opener, the Wolf Pack (20-13, 14-4 MW) dismantled the Lobos (12-21-1, 6-12 MW) in a 15-2 victory. Nevada held UNM to just four hits while striking out nine Lobos during the game. In the process, sophomore pitcher Justin Slaten gave up seven hits and six runs in his 4.1 innings on the mound. The second matchup of the series on Saturday saw the Wolf Pack defeat the Lobos again, though that game was much closer than the first — with Nevada edging UNM by a score of 5-2.