TUCSON, Ariz. - The University of Arizona baseball team (7-12) will return home to host New Mexico (13-7) at Hi Corbett Field on Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m.
Tickets for Tuesday night's contest are available for purchase and be secured HERE.
LEADING OFF:
SOME GAME THEMES: The Arizona Wildcats and New Mexico Lobos meet for a midweek matchup at Hi Corbett Field with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. (MST)...Legendary former Arizona Coach Andy Lopez will be recognized before the game for his induction into the Ring of Honor and he will throw out the first pitch...Tuesday night's game will be available to subscribers on ESPN+ featuring play-by-play from Chris Harris...Former conference foes in the Border Conference and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), Arizona and New Mexico have faced off 209 times previously, dating back to 1939...The Wildcats hold a 175-34 advantage in the all-time series, and Arizona won the most recent matchup 10-0 over the Lobos last season...After a slow start to the season, Arizona has gone 6-4 in their last 10 games with wins over Vanderbilt, UC Irvine, Fresno State (3x), and Utah...Arizona struggled offensively to start the season, but the bats have begun to heat up, as they are hitting .289 with 21 doubles and 12 home runs over the past 10 games...After scoring just 29 runs across the first nine games (3.2 per game), Arizona has scored 71 runs throughout the past 10 games (7.1 per game)...Maddox Mihalakis has found his stride at the plate as of late, and over Arizona's last seven games he is hitting a team-high .419 with 13 hits and 11 RBI...Nate Novitske continues to lead the team in batting average (.362) and he has recorded at least one hit in 13 of 16 games this season, including seven multi-hit games...Redshirt freshman Jackson Forbes has worked his way into the lineup recently and has been impressive, as he is played in eight games with six starts and is batting .333 with 10 RBI and two home runs...Arizona has received exceptional performances from relief pitchers Garrett Hicks and Maclain Roberts this season, as Roberts has allowed just five hits and zero runs across 12.2 innings, while Hicks has a record of 2-0 and a 2.16 ERA in 8.1 innings of work...New Mexico is led by former Arizona baseball player and Assistant Coach Tod Brown who is in his fifth season leading the program and holds a record of 118-114...Brown played for Arizona from 1990-94 and served as a Volunteer Assistant Coach during the 1999 season...Former Arizona baseball player and Assistant Coach Michael Lopez, the son of legendary Wildcats coach Andy Lopez, is the Associate Head Coach and Pitching Coach for the Lobos...Michael Lopez played for Arizona from 2009-12 and was a member of the 2012 National Championship team and he also served as a Volunteer Assistant Coach for the Wildcats for two seasons...New Mexico started off the season 12-0, but they have lost seven of their past eight games following the superb start...New Mexico leads the Mountain West and ranks 21st in the country in batting average this season (.317)...The Lobos also rank tied for 25th in runs scored (180), as they have been tremendous offensively.
NOVITSKE AND LIRA LEADING THE OFFENSE: After struggling at the plate to start the season, Arizona has significantly elevated their offensive play, and Redshirt Freshmen Nate Novitske and Tony Lira have led the way. Over the past 10 games, Arizona has hit .289 as a team, while averaging 10.1 hits per game. Novitske leads the team and ranks 17th in the Big 12 with a .362 batting average. Novitske has seven multi-hit games this season, including five games with three hits. Lira has also been outstanding for the Wildcats, as he ranks first on the team in hits (28) and extra-base hits (8), while ranking second in batting average (.350) and on-base percentage (.422). Lira had his third career home run on Sunday at Utah, launching a 477-foot shot to center field. Lira has started all 19 games for the Wildcats this season and has recorded a hit in 13 of 19 contests, including posting two or more hits in 11 games.
MIHALAKIS HITTING HIS STRIDE: Senior Maddox Mihalakis entered the season with high expectations after starting 60 games for last year's College World Series team. After struggling at the plate to start the season, Mihalakis has found his stride offensively as of late. Over Arizona's last seven games, the senior is .419 with 13 hits, including four doubles, and he has also recorded 11 RBI. Throughout the weekend series at Utah, Mihalakis went 5-14 with three RBI, two doubles, and two runs scored.
FRESHMEN SHOWING OUT: Arizona has had four different freshmen start at least 11 games apiece the season, and they have continued to make a notable impact. In addition to Redshirt freshmen Nate Novitske and Tony Lira, who have been outstanding, fellow redshirt freshman Jackson Forbes and true freshmen Caleb Danzeisen and Cash Brennan have had noteworthy starts to their collegiate careers. Danzeisen has started 15 games for Arizona, and he currently leads the team with an on-base percentage of .429. Danzeisen had a stellar series at Utah, going 4-12 with three walks, two doubles, and the first home run of his career. Brennan, the younger brother of current UCLA starting right-fielder Payton Brennan, has started 11 games and is batting .256 with an on-base percentage of .326. Forbes has pinch-hit twice this season and is 2-2 with a double and a home run. He made the starting lineup twice this past weekend at Utah and delivered by going 3-9 at the plate with three RBI and a home run. He hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the 10th inning on Saturday's contest and also had a two RBI single in the top of the ninth on Sunday to give the Wildcats the lead.
ROBERTS AND HICKS DOMINATING OUT OF THE PEN: Arizona has had a multitude of relief pitchers make contributions this season, but none more noteworthy than Maclain Roberts and Garrett Hicks. Roberts, a junior from Auckland, New Zealand who did not start playing baseball until 2019, has been sensational for the Wildcats. In five appearances this season, he has tossed 12.2 innings and allowed just five hits and zero runs, while striking out 17 and issuing just two walks. Roberts is holding opposing hitters to a .119 average at the plate. He pitched 3.2 scoreless innings against Utah on Saturday and allowed just one hit. Hicks has also had an exceptional season, as he has thrown 8.1 innings in six appearances and holds an ERA of 2.16. Hicks is 2-0 with his second win coming this past Friday night after he tossed 3.0 scoreless innings and did not allow a hit.
