NEW MEXICO SOFTBALL 2015 SEASON REVIEW
By Richard Stevens, GoLobos.com Senior Writer
Lobo Coach Erica Beach knew exactly what her softball team and her New Mexico program needed to do in 2015.
Take a step forward.
It didn’t have to be a gigantic step or even a dynamic jump. She wasn’t talking about dancing down The Road to Okahoma City. But the step had to be decisive, measurable and positive, both in the circle and on the scoreboard.
Mission accomplished.
The Lobos ERA went from 7.66 in 2014 to 4.13 in 2015. It was not coincidental that the Lobos won 13 more games in 2015, soaring from 16 wins in 2014 to 29 in 2015.
And maybe the Lobos did make a dramatic jump. The Lobos were picked to finish last (ninth) in the Mountain West and roared past a number of programs to finish fourth thanks to Beach’s Lobos winning five league series (best of three games) in 2015.
“We had to take a step forward,” said Beach. “We needed to move in the right direction and get back on the path we started on five years ago.
“There were some people who had low expectations about this team and maybe about our program. It was empowering for this team and for me to prove those people wrong. We also know we have a few more steps to make to compete with the top-level teams in our conference.
“But we are closer.”
To get close in 2015, Beach new she needed to make some changes in the circle. She had talented arms coming back from 2014, but those arms not only needed to hit their spots better and throw fewer balls – they needed to start pitching with confidence and toughness.
“The first change we needed to make was in the circle,” said Beach. “We needed to pitch better. No question. I told the team, talked with each player, and told them I have to make a commitment to make the pitchers better.
“I told them there would be times when it would take me away from what the team might be doing, but I have to make that commitment. The whole team understood that.
“I worked the pitchers harder than they had ever been worked. I put them through the wringer.”
The bulk of the innings went to Carrie Sheehan, Lauren Soles and newcomer Krissy Fortner. Fortner was a huge addition, tossing out the team’s best ERA at 2.82 in posting a 9-5 record. Sheehan saw the most innings at 106 and had a 4.56 ERA. Soles pitched 96 innings with a 3.43 ERA and a 10-5 season mark in the circle.
In college softball, it might all start in the circle, but you need balance and you need runs. The Lobos hit .299 as a team with five hitters above .300: Jasmine Casados (.386), Mariah Rimmer (.378), Lisa Rodrigues (.341), Brandi Heimburg (.335) and Gabrielle Stacey (.324). UNM had six players hit six-to-eight home runs.
“I think our lineup was amazing this year,” said Beach. “People were afraid to throw to our hitters. There was balance and variety and production all through the lineup. Our team was so flexible and so willing to do whatever it took to be successful.There was just more dynamics in the lineup.”
Beach’s Lobos finished at 29-25 – the most wins in Beach’s tenure as the UNM coach. It was her third season at New Mexico with 20 wins or more. The Lobos went 13-11 in the Mountain West which is the second most league wins in program history.
Brandi Heimburg was named to the Mountain West First Team and Rimmer was on Second Team. UNM had three league Pitcher/Player of the Week in Soles, Sheehan and Casados. Heimburg was named to a Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-Distric Team and Rimmer (First Team) and Casados (Second) found spots on the College Sports Madness All-Mountain West Team.
The Lobos’ step forward obviously was produced by productivity between the lines. UNM was in the top five of Mountain West stats in earned run average, opposing batting average, wins, batters struck out, slugging percentage, triples, home runs, sacrifice flies and sacrifice bunts.
Beach picked up her 100th career win as a Lobo on March 21.
“We were just a tougher team this season in so many ways,” said Beach. “We knew that was an important chance we needed to make in the culture of our program. You want and need a team that is tough mentally and never gives up, never takes a game, an inning, a pitch off.
“We took a step the program needed to take, but now we have to start being competive with the top programs in the conference. Some of it is simple. We need to continue to pitch better and we need to hit better.
“You always have to continue to improve your physical game but you also need to continue to improve your mental game. You can see those changes in the program now. We are starting to expect to win ball games. We have higher expectations.”