ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.– The University of New Mexico softball team heads to California once more, for the third-straight weekend, to begin Mountain West conference play at San Diego State. The three-game series is set to begin on Friday night with a game to be played on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
Friday’s conference-opener is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT as is Saturday’s game, while Sunday has a start time of 1 p.m. MT. All games will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network, with the link for the stream below.
UNM NOTES | LIVE STREAM | FRIDAY LIVE STATS | SATURDAY LIVE STATS | SUNDAY LIVE STATS
ABOUT THE MATCHUP
The Lobos open Mountain West competition at San Diego State for a three-game series starting on Friday.
Last season, the Lobos won two of three against the Aztecs at home to clinch their first conference series of the season. In the three-game series, D’Andra DeFlora and Cameryn O’Grady each hit .375 with three hits, including two home runs apiece. O’Grady also had a triple in the series. DeFlora finished the weekend with three RBI and a slugging percentage of 1.125, while O’Grady finished with two RBI, 11 total bases and a slugging percentage of 1.375. Both had an on-base percentage of .444. UNM outscored SDSU 12-10 in last year’s series, however, SDSU outhit UNM 33-18. Of those 18 hits, seven of them were home runs, compared to just one home run for SDSU.
Both teams enter the weekend with similar season stats in runs allowed with SDSU giving up 127 runs and UNM 121. Both had been tied at 121 prior to SDSU’s 6-0 loss on Wednesday. The Lobos hold the advantage in on-base percentage (.355 to .320), slugging percentage (.385 to .308). UNM has hit four times as many triples and home runs as SDSU. UNM has 16 home runs this season compared to just four for SDSU, and four triples compared to just one for the Aztecs..
CONFERENCE OPENERS
The Lobos are 6-12 in Mountain West conference openers, but have won their last two openers. In 2018, UNM won 5-2 and in 2017 the Lobos won 3-2, both over UNLV. The last time the Lobos won a series to open conference play was in 2017, taking two of three games over UNLV in Las Vegas. In the last five years, UNM has won three series 2-1, including three-straight years from 2015 to 2017. This weekend marks the seventh time that UNM opens conference play against SDSU (previous years: 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014).
LET’S SEE HOW FAR WE’VE COME
In just her second year at UNM, the Lobos have seen improvement in several categories from year one to year two under head coach Paula Congleton.
Comparing where the Lobos were a year ago heading into MW competition to this year’s team heading into MW play, the Lobos have performed better offensively, in the circle and in the field.
Even though UNM has played two less games in 2019 than in 2018 prior to conference starting, the Lobos have scored 11 more runs (97-86) and walks (96-85), had three more doubles, two more home runs, improved their slugging percentage (.385-.366) and on-base percentage (.355-.343).
The pitchers have combined for a better team ERA, lowering the average by 1.93 (6.70-4.77), has 18 more strikeouts (93-75) and allowed 60 fewer runs (181-121). Opponent batting average is also lower (.297- .338) as is the number of hits (171-233), doubles, triples and home runs allowed.
Behind the plate, the catchers are having more success as well, throwing out seven runners to date, compared to just two at this point last year. Runners are just 18-25 this year (.720) compared to 26-28 in 2018 (.929). In the field, the Lobos have a fielding percentage of .952 this year to .939 last year.
Coincidentally, the Lobos have had 221 total bases and a .240 batting average in both years.
WALK IT OUT
UNM leads the MW in walks drawn through the first four weekends with 96, 22 more than the second-highest team (UNLV). In the season opener against UTEP, UNM drew 16 walks alone for a season high.
Against the Miners, eight different players drew a walk, with Andrea Howard reaching base four times via a walk. Cameryn O’Grady and Lauren Wilmert each drew three walks, Maggie Buckholz two and Monica Salas, Taylor Jones, Kasey Halleen and Daryn Haslam each had one.
Versus Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 15, the Lobos nearly reached double digits with nine walks.
Maggie Buckholz leads the team with 11 walks, followed by Cameryn O’Grady with nine.
LET’S GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT
After five weekends of competition for the MW teams, the Lobos lead the conference in one category, second in two, and fourth in two.The Lobos are first in the conference in walks (96) and second in caught stealing by (7) and home runs with 16. UNM is fourth in batters struck out (93) and fourth in put outs (413).
As a team, UNM has at least one player listed in the top 10 in the conference in eight hitting categories and four pitching categories.
Through the first four weekends, Cameryn O’Grady is in the top-10 statistically in the MW in four categories offensively. The junior is in the top 10 in on-base percentage, hits, doubles and walks. Lauren Wilmert is third in caught stealing by (4) and Kennedy Ferguson is fourth in batters struck out (45) and second in innings pitched (70.2). D’Andra DeFlora ranks in the top 10 in runs scored, Bailey Klitzke is ranked in batting average and sacrifice flies, Maggie Buckholz in RBI and second in walks, Monica Salas and Daryn Haslam in home runs and Andrea Howard in walks.
NATIONALLY KNOWN
Bailey Klitzke are Lauren Wilmert are tied for 40th in the NCAA in sacrifice flies with two and Maggie Buckholz is tied for 23rd in the country in walks (0.77), which also leads the Mountain West.
SCOUTING SAN DIEGO STATE
The Aztecs enter conference 12-13 overall and 5-4 at home after losing to UC Riverside on Wednesday night. SDSU shares three common opponents with UNM: UIC, LMU and Cal State Fullerton. The Aztecs lost to Cal State Fullerton 5-1 and LMU 2-1, but defeated UIC 13-8.
San Diego State has been shutout eight times this season and has shutout its opponents twice.
The Aztecs are being outscored by their opponents 127-82 and outhit 187-159 and .287 to .249. Of their 159 hits, 21 have been doubles and four have gone for home runs. As a team, SDSU is 28-for-29 in stolen bases, while its opponents are 26-for-34.
San Diego State returns 12 letterwinners from 2018, including six starters and two pitchers. They have eight newcomers.Last season, the Aztecs went 20-31 overall, 11-13 in the MW.
Kiera Wright has 23 hits lead the team, with a team-high 17 runs and the lone triple on the team. Kelsey Munoz leads with 13 RBI, 34 total bases, a .453 slugging percentage and three of the team’s four home runs. Wright is also a perfect 13-for-13 in stolen bases this season. Shelby Thompson leads with 11 walks and Maddi Ayers leads in on-base percentage (.415) and batting average (.359).
San Diego State pitchers have an ERA of 4.40, allowing 187 hits on the season and 127 runs (100 earned). As a unit, they have struck out 89 batters while walking 88. Opponents are hitting .287 against the SDSU pitchers.
SDSU has used four pitchers this season, with Marissa Moreno pitching a team-high 56.2 innings. The junior has a 5-3 record, making 16 appearances and eight starts with three complete games, two shutouts and one save. With an ERA of 3.83, Moreno has allowed 58 hits, 40 runs (31 earned), 50 strikeouts and 27 walks. Slightly behind her is MJ James, who has appeared in 15 games, making 11 starts, and is 3-5 on the year after pitching 55.0 innings. James has thrown two complete games and has a 5.35 ERA. On the season, the redshirt-freshman has given up 81 hits, 54 runs (42 earned), 31 walks and 16 strikeouts. Alicia Garcia has appeared in 16 games, starting six, with one complete game and 45.1 innings pitched. With an ERA of 4.32, the junior has given up 48 hits, 33 runs (28 earned), 28 walks and 21 strikeouts. Kelsey Munoz has pitched in two games and pitched 2.0 innings, with two walks and two strikeouts.
Shelby Thompson is tied for 40th in the NCAA with two sacrifice flies and Kiera Wright is 61st in stolen bases per game with 0.50.