First Inning Runs Lead to Conference Opener Victory for UNM
SAN DIEGO, Calif.— For the third straight year, The University of New Mexico softball team won its Mountain West opener, this time against the San Diego State Aztecs by the tune of 3-1.
The first hit of the game at SDSU Softball Stadium on Friday evening was all the offense UNM would need in a game in which all four runs scored between both teams occurred in the opening frame.
The Lobos didn’t allow Aztec starting pitcher Marissa Moreno to settle into the game before tacking runs on the board, loading the bases with the first three at-bats of the game.
D’Andra DeFlora reached base on a hit-by-pitch on a 1-2 count and Andrea Howard walked following a full count. Cameryn O’Grady drew a four-pitch walk in the three-spot and Lauren Wilmert jumped on the first pitch she saw in her at-bat, sending the ball back up the middle to score DeFlora and Howard.
Wilmert’s hit, the first of the game for UNM, would later prove to be the game-winner as that was all the Lobos would need behind another solid performance from freshman pitcher Kennedy Ferguson and the defense behind her.
However, after Daryn Haslam struck out for the first out of the game, Monica Salas snuck the ball just inside the third base line to score O’Grady from second for the 3-0 early Lobo lead. The Lobos scored three runs on two hits.
It took just two plays for SDSU to get a run back, with a leadoff single from Kiera Wright, who would score on the next play following a miscue between Haslam at second and Taylor Jones at first that allowed Wright to score from first for the unearned run.
After a visit to the circle by head coach Paula Congleton to settle the Lobos, UNM worked two quick outs on a grounder to Ferguson and a grounder to O’Grady at short. The Aztecs put runners on the corners after a single through the left side moved the runner on first to third. Ferguson got out of the inning with a line out to Howard in center to end the inning and leave two runners on base.
UNM looked to add more runs in the top of the second after loading the bases again with no outs. Jones led off with a single to left field followed by a full-count walk by Sydney Townes at the bottom of the order and a single back up the middle by DeFlora. Wilmert put solid contact on the ball with two outs, but the wind kept it in the park, allowing the center fielder to make the out on the warning track to leave them loaded.
The Aztecs had their leadoff hitter reach base on a single up the middle, but Wilmert threw out the runner trying to steal with O’Grady applying the tag to eliminate the runner. It was just the second time all season that an Aztec had been thrown out on an attempted steal, having entered the game 28-for-29 in stolen bases. It was also the fifth runner caught stealing by Wilmert this season and the 10th time in the junior’s career that she has thrown out a runner in a game.
Both teams were retired in order in the third and SDSU had an opportunity to cut into UNM’s lead in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff single advancing to third on two ground outs, but a fly out to Townes in right left another runner stranded. The Aztecs would ultimately leave six runners on base in the contest while the Lobos left eight.
UNM’s next chance to add some insurance runs occurred in the top of the sixth with Bailey Klitzke entering the game as a BP and beating out the throw to first for a one-out single followed by a hit to shallow left field by Jones to put two runners on. Townes hit into a fielder’s choice with the Klitzke out at third and DeFlora struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch to end the top half of the inning.
Ferguson struck out the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the inning for her first strikeout of the game and worked around a one-out single to induce two fly outs, one to Townes in right and one to Howard in center to get out of the inning.
The Lobos went down in order in the top of the seventh, but got two quick outs in the bottom of the seventh with a line out to Howard in center and a foul out to Kasey Halleen at second, both on the first pitch of the at-bats. Kylie Fraser entered the game as a pinch hitter for SDSU and extended the game with a double to right center with the Aztecs down to their last strike on a 2-2 count. However, Wright grounded to O’Grady at short who threw the ball to Jones at first for the final out.
Although SDSU outhit UNM 7-6 in the game, the Lobos drew five walks compared to none for the Aztecs. Four of those walks came against Moreno, tying her season high for walks allowed in a game.
UNM had four leadoff hitters reach base compared to three for SDSU.
In the circle, Ferguson earned her first conference win and her second win of the season after pitching her eighth complete game of the season. The freshman struck out one batter and didn’t issue a single walk, the second straight game and the third in four games that she hasn’t allowed a walk. In addition, Ferguson threw 100 total pitches in the game with 71 of them going for strikes.
At the plate, Howard drew three walks, the third time this season that the sophomore has had multiple walks, and the 10th time this season that the outfielder has recorded at least one walk. Jones went 2-for-3 on the day with two singles to tie her career high in hits and DeFlora, Wilmert, Salas and Klitzke each posted one hit.
Wilmert had a game-high two RBI and Salas added the third RBI for UNM.
UNM faces SDSU on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. MT/ 6 p.m. MT.