What started as a deficit ended in dominance.
Down 5-1 on Sunday and facing the prospect of a missed sweep opportunity, New Mexico Baseball exploded for 14 unanswered runs across six innings and capped a weekend of comeback heroics with a 15-7 win over San Diego State at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The victory not only secured the Lobos’ first three-game sweep in San Diego since 2013, but also vaulted them into a three-way tie atop the Mountain West standings with just two series remaining.
The Lobos (28-18, 15-9 MW) have now won four straight conference series and seven of their last eight games, peaking at the right time with postseason seeding on the line. The sweep also marked their sixth consecutive win over the Aztecs (15-34, 10-14 MW), the program’s longest streak in the rivalry since 2012.
Sunday: Lobos Unleash Late-Inning Fireworks in 15-7 Rout
Trailing by four through four innings, UNM’s bats came alive in a relentless wave—scoring in each of the final five frames and finishing with 19 hits, including five home runs and seven extra-base knocks. It was the third time this season the Lobos have gone deep five or more times in a single game.
Graduate outfielder Will Asby led the offensive avalanche with a historic day at the plate: 5-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, four RBI, and three runs scored—becoming the first Lobo to record five hits in a game since April 2023. He also homered for the second consecutive game and reached base in all six plate appearances.
Tye Wood added three more hits and three runs scored, capping a standout weekend, while Karsen Waslefsky wrapped up a 7-for-12 series with a 3-for-4 performance that included a home run and three runs. Josh McAlister matched his season high with three hits, and Ethan Ott and Cooper Brass joined the power party with homers—Brass’ being the first of his collegiate career.
On the mound, it was a true team effort. Starter Ryan Castillo went 3.2 innings, and freshman Presley Monteforte picked up his first collegiate win in relief. Tommy White and Matt Romero closed the door, with Romero finishing off the Aztecs in a perfect ninth.
Saturday: Lobos Survive Late Scare, Clinch Series 9-8
New Mexico never trailed on Saturday but needed a clutch eighth-inning rally to break a 6-6 tie and then held off SDSU’s late push for a 9-8 win. The Lobos posted their sixth straight double-digit hit performance, collecting 11 hits, including five doubles.
Ethan Ott drove in three with a pair of doubles, while Tye Wood reached base four times and matched a career high with four runs. Will Asby continued his hot streak with two more extra-base hits and three RBI, and Jordy Oriach extended his hit streak to 16 games.
On the hill, Luke Wiseman improved to 4-0 after three innings of solid relief, and Josh Barnhouse worked out of a ninth-inning jam to record his first save of the year.
Friday: Lobos Mount Furious Rally, Win Extras 9-7
In Friday’s series opener, New Mexico trailed 4-1 entering the ninth and looked all but beaten—until they weren’t.
The Lobos erupted for five runs on just three hits in the top of the ninth, highlighted by a game-tying double from Jordy Oriach and go-ahead RBIs from Ott and Luke Mansy. After SDSU answered with two in the bottom half to force extras, UNM loaded the bases with no outs in the 10th and cashed in three more runs, including a two-RBI single from Asby.
Ty Cunningham worked the final two innings, stranding the tying run in the 10th to secure the series-opening win. Oriach led the offense with three hits and three RBI, and Daxton Purser tossed six strong innings, allowing just one earned run.
Player of the Week: Asby Earns Conference Honors Again
After a weekend for the ages, Will Asby was named Mountain West Player of the Week on Monday—the second of his career and fourth by a Lobo this season.
The graduate senior torched SDSU pitching with a .615 average (8-for-13), nine RBI, five extra-base hits, and a .706 on-base percentage. He reached base 12 times in 18 plate appearances and was perfect in the field, tallying six putouts in right. Asby now leads the Lobos in home runs (11), slugging, and total bases.
What’s Next
With six games left in the regular season, New Mexico is tied for first in the Mountain West and surging at the perfect time. They return home for a pivotal series that could determine the conference’s top seed—and they’ll be doing it behind one of the hottest lineups in the country.
Lobo Basketball Adds Size and Experience with JT Rock and Luke Haupt
The Lobo men’s basketball roster for 2025-26 continues to take shape with the addition of two impactful transfers: 7-1 center JT Rock (Iowa State) and 6-7 guard Luke Haupt (Point Loma Nazarene).
Rock brings Power 5 experience and serious upside. A former top-100 recruit and South Dakota AA Player of the Year, he redshirted his first year at Iowa State before appearing in nine games this past season. Head coach Eric Olen praised Rock’s size and skill set, saying “his best basketball is ahead of him.”
Haupt, a versatile and experienced D-II standout, averaged 13.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists last season after returning from injury. With over 1,000 career points, he adds maturity and a high basketball IQ to the Lobo backcourt.
Olen emphasized Haupt’s “versatility” and “positionless basketball” fit. Both players cited UNM’s system, fan base, and culture as major draws.
Lobo Men’s Tennis Falls to No. 5 Stanford in NCAA First Round
Facing a national title contender in the NCAA Tournament, the No. 62 Lobos showed fight against No. 4 seed Stanford, but ultimately fell 4-0 to end a historic 16-9 season.
Stanford clinched the doubles point with a pair of narrow wins, including a 6-1 victory at No. 3 and a dramatic finish at No. 2. Singles play featured early Cardinal dominance, as Kyle Kang and Max Basing picked up straight-set wins to push the lead to 3-0. Though UNM was fighting on multiple courts, Stanford’s Alex Razeghi sealed the match with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Daniil Kakhniuk.
Despite the loss, the Lobos left little doubt they belonged on the national stage.
Five Lobos Named to Mountain West All-Tournament Team
After claiming the Mountain West title, five Lobo men’s tennis players were named to the 2025 All-Tournament Team, including tournament MVP Avery Tallakson.
- Singles Honorees:
• Aram Noroozian – No. 1 singles
• Daniil Kakhniuk – No. 5 singles
• Avery Tallakson – No. 6 singles (also MVP) - Doubles Honorees:
• Noroozian/Samaha – No. 1 doubles
• Balsekar/Tallakson – No. 3 doubles
Tallakson’s heroic comeback in the semifinals and match-clinching performance in the championship highlighted a dominant postseason run.
Lobo Softball Closes 2025 Season with Hard-Fought Series in Vegas
The New Mexico softball team wrapped up its 2025 season with a road series at UNLV, highlighted by a dominant 5-0 shutout in the opener and a late lead in game two before falling in the series and season finale.
In Thursday’s opener, McKenna Guest delivered her ninth complete game and fifth solo shutout of the season, striking out seven in a statement 5-0 win. The Lobos struck early and often, with Sydney Carithers going 2-for-2 and crushing her fourth home run of the year to extend a 2-0 lead to 4-0 in the fourth. DeNae Vasquez-Dickson and Allie Williams added RBI hits, while the defense and Guest silenced the Rebels’ bats for UNM’s first win in Las Vegas since 2021.
Game two on Friday saw the Lobos take a 3-1 lead into the final frame after Jewels Hanawahine drove in two with a clutch sixth-inning hit to right center. New Mexico had chances to add insurance runs, but a double play ended a bases-loaded threat in the seventh. UNLV capitalized with a walk-off rally in the bottom half, scoring three runs to steal a 4-3 win and even the series.
In Saturday’s finale, UNM fell 3-1 despite multiple opportunities to tie the game. Hanawahine drove in Ashley Archuleta with a single in the fourth, and both players finished with two hits along with Williams. Brooke Umali threw 4.1 scoreless innings in relief, keeping the Lobos in striking distance, but the offense couldn’t break through late. Archuleta ended her Lobo career with a multi-hit performance, joined by fellow graduating seniors Emma Bramson and Sydney Carithers.
New Mexico finishes the 2025 season at 21-30-1 overall and 6-15 in Mountain West play.
Lobo Women’s Basketball Adds Scoring, Defense with Cacia Antonio
Lobo women’s basketball continues to bolster its roster with the signing of Cacia Antonio, a dynamic 5-11 guard from New Mexico Junior College and a veteran of Angola’s national team.
Antonio averaged 13.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game last season while starting 33 of 34 games for the Thunderbirds. A WBCA Player of the Year and NJCAA Second Team All-American, Antonio brings elite scoring and defensive ability to the Lobos. She had five double-doubles in her sophomore season, including a 26-point outing and a 12-rebound performance.
Her accolades also include back-to-back All-American honors and multiple All-Region, All-Tournament, and Conference selections over two seasons. Internationally, Antonio has represented Angola in several FIBA tournaments, most recently leading the AfroBasket 2023 in assists (6.0 per game).
She becomes the second addition to the Lobos this offseason, joining fellow signee Jessie Joaquim.
