UNM Hosts North Dakota in Tuesday Doubleheader
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.– The University of New Mexico softball team continues its homestand with a doubleheader against North Dakota on Tuesday, March 26 with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m.
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MIXING IT UP
The Lobos have used 24 different lineups to date, only having duplicated their lineup five times. UNM used the same lineup in the Arizona and Alabama game, the same lineup in the Cal State Fullerton and UTEP game, the same lineup against Hawai’i on Feb. 22 and DePaul on Feb. 23 and the same lineup against Tennessee and UConn. Recently, the Lobos used the same lineup in the second game at SDSU and the second game vs. CSU. UNM has had five different players in the leadoff spot in the lineup. Cameryn O’Grady moved into the leadoff hitter spot in the game against Canisius and played six games at the No. 1 spot in the batting order. Andrea Howard led off the lineup in 10 games and moved down to the No. 2 spot for 14 games and the seventh spot in five games. Bailey Klitzke hit in the leadoff spot in three games, D’Andra DeFlora led off in nine games and Sydney Townes hit first in one. Maggie Buckholz has batted second in two games, DeFlora in 12 games and Aleyah Wilbon hit second versus Cal State Fullerton. Four Lobos (Cameryn O’Grady, D’Andra DeFlora, Andrea Howard and Lauren Wilmert) have started all 29 games this season, while Monica Salas has started in all but one.
HOT STARTS
The Lobos have scored first in 15 games this season.UNM has scored in the first inning 11 times, with a season-high four runs scored in the first inning on Feb. 16 against Illinois-Chicago and again on Feb. 22 against Canisius.
Against WCU on March 8, the Lobos scored three runs in the first inning on a walk by Andrea Howard, back-to-back doubles by Lauren Wilmert and Maggie Buckholz and a single by Monica Salas that scored Buckholz.
Five of UNM’s wins this season have come via run-rule (15-6 vs. UTEP, 8-0 vs. Creighton, 13-5 vs. Illinois-Chicago, 10-0 vs. Canisius, 10-0 vs. WCU).
D’Andra DeFlora and Cameryn O’Grady started the season on a nine-game hitting streak.
WALK IT OUT
UNM leads the MW in walks drawn through the first seven weekends with 119, 10 more than the second-highest team (SJSU). 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.
Cameryn O’Grady leads the Lobos with 20 walks, with Maggie Buckholz and Andrea Howard tied for second with 17.
LET’S GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT
After seven weekends of competition for the MW teams, the Lobos lead the conference in two categories and are third in one.
The Lobos are first in the conference in walks (119) and tied for first in caught stealing by (8) and is third in home runs (20).
As a team, UNM has at least one player listed in the top 10 in the conference in six hitting categories, five pitching categories and four fielding categories.
To date, Cameryn O’Grady is in the top-10 statistically in the MW in three categories offensively. The junior is in the top 10 in on-base percentage, doubles and is tied for first in walks. Lauren Wilmert is tied for fourth in caught stealing by, sixth in fielding chances and Kennedy Ferguson is ranked in batters struck out and second in innings pitched. D’Andra DeFlora ranks in the top 10 in hit-by-pitches, Bailey Klitzke is ranked in batting average and tied for first in sacrifice flies, and Maggie Buckholz and Andrea Howard in walks.
In Mountain West play, UNM ranks third in total bases (64) and fourth in on-base percentage (.363), hits (41), runs scored (25), RBI (25) and home runs (4). UNM is second in walks (23), total plate appearances (182) and at-bats (156).
O’Grady is ranked in the top 10 in conference play in on-base percentage (.545) and walks (6) and Wilmert is tied for fourth in hits (8).
Kiana Spencer is ranked in batters struck out (fifth, 11) and Kennedy Ferguson is ranked in fewest walks allowed (t-fifth, 3).
NATIONALLY KNOWN
Bailey Klitzke is 22nd in the NCAA in sacrifice flies with three and Maggie Buckholz is 47th in the country in walks (0.71). O’Grady is 94th in on-base percentage (.495) and 52nd in walks (.69).
IT’S ALL O’GRADY
Junior shortstop Cameryn O’Grady leads the team in slugging percentage (.610), on-base percentage (.495), hits (30), total bases (50), walks (20), total plate appearances (93) and doubles (9). The California native is second in batting average (.366), runs scored (20) and RBI (19).
With two outs, O’Grady is 7-for-16, the highest success rate on the team, with five RBI coming with two outs. When it comes to success advancing runners during an at-bat, O’Grady also leads the team at 33-for-57 (.579). O’Grady is also 11-for-19 (.579) as the leadoff batter in an inning which leads the team.
Last season, O’Grady led the Lobos in triples (four), doubles (12), walks (32), on-base percentage (.444) and runs scored (31) last season. She was second on the team with 43 hits, 75 total bases and 26 RBIs, and third in batting average (.301) and slugging percentage (.524).
O’Grady hit just four home runs last season, which the junior reached half that in the first three games this season.
3-2, WHAT YOU GOING TO DO?
Lauren Wilmert leads the team in RBI (20), is tied in home runs (4) and is second in total bases (40). The catcher/ first baseman is tied for second in hits (22), is third in doubles (6), and fourth in runs scored (15), while hitting in the cleanup spot in all 29 games. The junior is also second in sacrifice flies. Playing 18 games behind the plate, Wilmert has thrown out five runners attempting to steal, bringing her career total to 10. Wilmert recorded a career-high three hits against SDSU on March 17, while also recording her sixth home run of her career and tied a career-high six total bases.
NOT JUST A PITCHER
Bailey Klitzke got the ball to start the season against UTEP, but has played in 20 games either in the circle or as the DP, starting in 18.
Klitzke leads the team in batting average (.386) and is second in on-base percentage (.449) and slugging percentage (.509), is tied for second in hits (22).
At the Judi Garman Classic, Klitzke was 2-for-2 with runners in scoring position, with two outs and with runners on third and less than two outs in the inning. The junior was 3-for-5 in success in advancing runners and 2-for-5 as the leadoff hitter in an inning. She also had a team-high four hits and three RBI in the five-game tournament, hitting .364 with a slugging percentage of .455 and on-base percentage of .467.
At the plate on the season, Klitzke is a team-best 3-for-5 with bases loaded. She is 6-for-8 with a runner on third with less than 2 outs, 9-for-21 with runners in scoring position, 10-for-23 with 2 outs in the inning and six of her RBI on the season came with two outs. Klitzke is 20-for-35 in successfully advancing runners in her at-bat, which is the second-highest success rate on the team.
SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA
The Fighting Hawks enter Tuesday’s series 15-20 overall and lost their last three, all against New Mexico State. They are 5-11 on the road.
UND has played only one common opponent to date with UNM in NMSU, in which the Aggies won all three games (3-0, 8-0 (5), 5-2). However, UND has played two MW teams in Fresno State (L, 5-3) and UNLV (L, 10-1(5)).
North Dakota has been shutout nine times this year and has not shutout an opponent. UND has been run-ruled three times, gone to extra innings three times (2-1) and has run-ruled a team once.
The Fighting Hawks are being outscoring their opponents 169-129 and outhit 279-234.
Last season, North Dakota went 26-27 and 10-8 in conference play as a member of the Big Sky. UND is now a member of the Summit League. North Dakota was picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll with 11 votes, bringing back a total of six starters.
Angel Love leads the team with 34 hits, 10 doubles and 50 total bases. Marina Marzolino has a team-high 18 RBI, Victoria Minor leads in walks (12) and is tied with Deja Miller with three triples. Dani Romero leads in home runs (4), while Kayleen Schneider has a team-high .329 batting average and Jocelyn Kirk has a team-best .463 slugging percentage. As a team, UND is 24-for-30 on attempted steals with Love 8-for-9 and Marzolino 3-for-3. Opponent are 53-for-67.
North Dakota pitchers have an ERA of 4.18 as a staff, allowing 279 hits on the season and 169 runs (135 earned). As a unit, they have struck out 134 batters while walking 108. Opponents are hitting .301 against the pitchers. Of the 279 hits, 40 were doubles, nine were triples and 15 were home runs. ND has used four pitchers this season, with Jannay Jones pitching a team-high 85.1 innings. Jones has a 7-7 record on 18 appearances and 15 starts, while pitching nine complete games and recording two saves. In the circle, the freshman has given up 87 hits, 45 runs (29 earned), 51 strikeouts and 29 walks. Nikki Pica has pitched 82.1 innings in 19 games and with 13 starts, pitching two complete games and tallying a 3-8 record. The junior has allowed 109 hits, 70 runs (58 earned) and 40 walks and has struck out 48 batters. Emily Rosas has gone 50.1 innings in the circle, making 20 appearances and seven starts with one complete game, and has a 5-5 record on the season. The freshman has given up 63 hits, 34 runs (28 earned) and 25 walks while striking out 32. Angeline Riley has pitched just 8.1 innings this season in four games, with 20 hits, 20 runs, 14 walks and three strikeouts.
The Fighting Hawks rank first in the Summit League in double plays per game (.54) and are 15th in the NCAA. They are also 57th in the country in triples per game with 0.26. Jannay Jones is 34th in saves.