Lobos earn third straight Mountain West Pitcher of the Week honor
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (BVM) — It’s been an up-and-down start to the 2021 baseball season for the New Mexico Lobos, who are 8-11 overall and 6-6 against Mountain West competition. But two of their righthanded hurlers have been getting the job done and they’ve accounted for the last three Mountain West Pitcher of the Week awards.
On Monday, it was junior Tristin Lively’s turn to earn the honor after a strong six-inning performance led UNM to a 5-1 victory over Nevada on Sunday. The 6-foot, 185-pound righty is 2-1 with a 3.09 ERA and 36 strikeouts through 32 innings pitched, but his conference-leading .171 opposing batting average is perhaps most impressive early on.
“The New Mexico kid did outstanding,” Lobos head coach Ray Birmingham said in a media release. “Tristin will wear a pro uniform soon.”
Senior Justin Armbruester earned the conference’s previous two pitcher of the week honors. Armbruester is off to a 3-1 start with a 1.85 ERA in 34 innings pitched and his 53 strikeouts — 21 of which have been looking — lead the Mountain West. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound righty struck out 17 in a game earlier this season against Fresno State in what Birmingham called “one of the best pitching performances” he’s ever seen at UNM.
