ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – After going 2-0 on the weekend and recording a 0.00 ERA, junior pitcher Lauren Soles has earned Mountain West Pitcher of the Week, her first of the season and second career honor. The award was announced Tuesday morning by the Mountain West.
“Lauren was a huge factor is our team’s success this past weekend,” said head coach Erica Beach. “She battled every single inning that she was on the mound and was incredibly effective. She has worked so hard this fall and winter to be where she wants to be and it is showing in her performances. I couldn’t be prouder of her.”
Soles was able to get the Lobos off to 1-0 start last Friday as she allowed no earned runs in a 4-3 win over Seattle U. She pitched her first complete game of the season, recording four strikeouts and allowed six hits.
Her next win came on Saturday as she came in relief against San Diego. Beach made the decision to put Soles in to pitch in the second inning with two outs. The Lobos were down 3-0 but came back in the sixth with a home run by freshman Chelsea Johnson.
The home run pushed the game into extra innings and the Lobos came out on top, winning 6-4 in nine innings. Soles didn’t allow a hit in 7.1 innings of work and finished the game with a strikeout. She walked two and struck out a total of three batters for the game.
The Lobos started the 2015 campaign with a 3-2 record with the third win coming on Sunday, a 6-3 win over UC Santa Barbara. New Mexico is on the road again this weekend, heading to Las Vegas, Nevada for the Wilson DeMarini Desert Classic hosted by UNLV. The Lobos first game is Friday against a top-25 team, UCLA.