Carris finally goes deep, lifts UNM baseball over Grand Canyon

UNM’s Akili Carris high-fives teammates after hitting his first home run as a Lobo during Tuesday’s game against Grand Canyon at Santa Ana Star Field.

UNM pitcher Brian McBroom pitches to a Grand Canyon batter during Tuesday’s game at the Santa Ana Star Field.

Ken Sickenger Ken Sickenger Ken Sickenger Journal Staff Writer

Published March 25, 2025 - 8:37 p.m. Modified March 26, 2025 - 9:19 a.m.

Friday

Air Force at New Mexico, 6 p.m., themw.com (streaming)

Akili Carris went into Tuesday night’s game at Santa Ana Star Field with 201 at-bats under his belt for the UNM baseball team.

He did not have a career home run, but Carris ended that drought in style.

The Albuquerque native smashed a three-run homer and later added a key two-run double to help the Lobos outslug Grand Canyon 12-10 in a back-and-forth midweek battle. Carris’ big hits twice gave UNM the lead and his fourth and fifth RBIs put the home team ahead for good in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Carris, a junior and La Cueva High alum, grinned when asked about his long-awaited home run.

“It’s crazy,” Carris said. “I actually don’t even remember the home run right now. I’m just glad it helped us win the game.”

Grand Canyon (14-10) led 5-4 when Carris lined his three-run shot over the left-field fence in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Lopes would answer with two runs in the sixth and went back in front, 10-7, on Zach Yorke’s three-run home run in the seventh.

But the Lobos (13-11) put together a five-run rally in the bottom of the seventh. Andrew Neil got it started with a solo homer, and Carris later lined a two-run double to right-center to give UNM an 11-10 lead. Carris scored the game’s final run on a wild pitch.

“The double actually felt better (than the homer),” Carris said. “It was a better at-bat, saw some pitches and got one I could handle.”

Lobos coach Tod Brown agreed.

“Akili’s strength is gap to gap and that double was a huge hit for us,” Brown said. “I don’t know if I’ve seen him hit homers even in our intra-squads. If he has, he hasn’t hit many.”

UNM’s five-run seventh made a winner of reliever Tommy White (2-0), the sixth of eight Lobo pitchers in a “staff” game. Josh Barnhouse and Ty Cunningham held the Lopes scoreless in the final two innings, with Cunningham earning his fifth save.

GCU outhit the Lobos 16-9, but the home team got big hits when it mattered. Jordy Oriach went 3-for-4 with a double, a solo homer (his eighth) and three RBIs. Josh McAlister also hit a solo home, his eighth of the season.

UNM hosts Air Force for a three-game Mountain West series beginning Friday at 6 p.m. Admission to all three weekend games is free.