UNM Concludes Opening Homestand with Nevada
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.– The University of New Mexico softball team closes out its opening homestand with three games this weekend against the Nevada Wolf Pack, starting on Friday evening.
UNM NOTES | NEVADA NOTES | LIVE STATS | LIVE STREAM
LAST TIME OUT
UNM swept a midweek non-conference doubleheader against North Dakota on Tuesday, using a four-run seventh inning to walk-off 7-6 in the first game and got out to an early 5-0 lead in the second game en route to a 7-3 win.
The Lobos received two complete games from their pitching staff, with both starting pitchers producing season-high strikeouts. Kennedy Ferguson tallied 11 strikeouts while walking five in 7.0 innings, while Kiana Spencer recorded a season-high seven strikeouts and walked three in 7.0 innings in the circle. Aleyah Wilbon went 3-for-3 in the second game, for a career high in hits, and had one RBI. Bailey Klitzke had a team-high four RBI, tying a season high, three of which came on a bases-loaded triple to win the first game. Lauren Wilmert hit her first career triple.
DON’T COUNT THEM OUT
After leading 3-2 going in to the top of the seventh in Tuesday’s first game against the Fighting Hawks, the Lobos gave up four runs to fall behind 6-3 with three outs to work with. UND brought in pitcher Emily Rosas in the bottom half of the inning, who walked the first three batters to load the bases. UND brought back in starting pitcher Nikki Pica, who walked Lauren Wilmert to make it 6-4. With bases loaded, Bailey Klitzke hit a shot to right center that went all the way to the wall, allowing all three runners on base to score for the walk-off win. In last Friday’s game against Colorado State, UNM trailed 6-2 going into the bottom of the fifth, but scored five runs on five hits to tie and take a 7-6 lead. Bailey Klitzke hit a sacrifice fly with bases loaded to score the first run and Monica Salas hit a home run to center to tie the game at six. Two batters later, Taylor Jones hit her first home run of the season, a solo shot that hit off the top of the scoreboard in left to give the Lobos a 7-6 advantage.
UNM started off the LMU Tournament with an epic come-from-behind victory over Oregon State, scoring six runs in the final two innings to win 6-5. The Lobos scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh, walking off on a hit by Lauren Wilmert to score D’Andra DeFlora from third. Andrea Howard hit a two-run home run to cut the deficit to two after Daryn Haslam led off with a single to right field. Kasey Halleen singled up the middle to keep the momentum going and Sydney Townes doubled to center to advance Halleen to third. DeFlora singled to score Townes and Halleen to tie the game, moving all the way to third, leading to Wilmert’s game-winning single.
MIXING IT UP
The Lobos have used 26 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 has led off in 11 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 and in the second game against North Dakota. Taylor Jones hit second in the first game versus North Dakota.
Four Lobos (Cameryn O’Grady, D’Andra DeFlora, Andrea Howard and Lauren Wilmert) have started all 31 games this season, while Monica Salas has started in all but two. UNM started four freshmen against New Mexico State, with Kennedy Ferguson, Daryn Haslam, MacKenzie Peterson and Leslie Romero each getting their first collegiate starts. Freshman Emma Steltzer made her Lobo debut in the circle in the last game of the Judi Garman Classic versus Cal State Fullerton, retiring both batters she faced.
walk it out
UNM leads the MW in walks drawn to date with 129, 20 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 and North Dakota on March 26, the Lobos nearly reached double digits with nine walks in each game.
Cameryn O’Grady leads the team with 21 walks, followed by Andrea Howard (19) and Maggie Buckholz (17).
Let’s give them something to talk about
After seven weeks of competition for the MW teams, the Lobos lead the conference in two categories, second in one, third in two, fourth in two and fifth in two.
The Lobos are first in the conference in walks (129) and tied for first in caught stealing by (8), is third in home runs (21) and putouts (568), and fourth in triples (8) and batters struck out (128). UNM is fifth in RBI (129) and doubles (37). UNM is second in total plate appearances (927).
As a team, UNM has at least one player listed in the top 10 in the conference in 10 hitting categories, four pitching categories and three fielding categories.
To date, Cameryn O’Grady is in the top-10 statistically in the MW in six categories offensively. The junior is in the top 10 in batting average, on-base percentage, total bases, doubles and total plate appearances. O’Grady leads the conference in walks. Lauren Wilmert is tied for fourth in caught stealing by, sixth in fielding chances, putouts and RBI and Kennedy Ferguson is ranked in batters struck out and second in innings pitched, as well as leads the league in appearances. D’Andra DeFlora ranks in the top 10 in hit-by-pitches, Bailey Klitzke is ranked in batting average, triples 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 49th in triples per game (0.11) and Maggie Buckholz is 53rd in the country in walks (0.68). O’Grady is 78th in on-base percentage (.500), 78th in doubles per game (0.32) and 56th in walks (0.68).
IT’S ALL O’GRADY
Junior shortstop Cameryn O’Grady leads the team in slugging percentage (.648), on-base percentage (.500), hits (33), runs scored (23), total bases (57), walks (21), total plate appearances (110) and doubles (10). The California native is second in batting average (.375) and RBI (21). With two outs, O’Grady is 8-for-18, 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 36-for-62 (.581). O’Grady is also 11-for-19 (.579) as the leadoff batter in an inning which leads the team. O’Grady was nearly unstoppable in the first three games of the season, going 7-for-9 at the plate (.778 batting average), registering one double, a triple and two home runs as well as a team-high seven RBI. O’Grady tallied 16 total bases, drew three walks and posted a slugging percentage of 1.778 and an on-base percentage of .833. The junior was 2-for-2 as the leadoff hitter in an inning, 4-for-5 with runners in scoring position and 2-for-2 batting with two outs, in which she recorded two of her seven runs-batted-in. During her at-bats, O’Grady was 6-for-8 in successfully advancing runners and 5-for-7 in getting a hit with runners on base. O’Grady was a perfect 3-for-3 against Creighton, finishing just a double shy of hitting for the cycle.
In the LMU Tournament, O’Grady was a team-best .500 in batting with runners on (4-for-8), 2-for-2 as the leadoff hitter in an inning, 3-for-6 with runners in scoring position and 1-for-2 with runners on third and less than two outs as well as with two outs. The shortstop was 4-for-9 with success in advancing runners.
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 and matched the total with a home run against North Dakota on March 26.
3-2, WHAT YOU GOING TO DO?
Lauren Wilmert leads the team in RBI (23), is tied in home runs (4) and is second in total bases (45). The catcher/ first baseman is tied for second in hits (24), is third in doubles (7), and fourth in runs scored (17), while hitting in the cleanup spot in 29 games before hitting in the five spot in the last two games against North Dakota. The junior is also second in sacrifice flies and hit her first career triple against North Dakota on March 26.
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.
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.
SCOUTING NEVADA
Nevada enters the weekend 17-12 overall and 2-1 in conference play, having lost its last three games. Nevada is 3-6 on the road this season.
The Wolf Pack has played two common opponents to date with UNM in Oregon State, in which the Beavers won 5-1, and Cal State Fullerton, which Nevada won 5-0.
Nevada has been shutout three times this year and has shutout seven opponents. Nevada has been run-ruled twice and has run-ruled opponents three times. They have only gone to extra innings once, a 4-3 win over Northwestern State.
The Wolf Pack are outscoring opponents 140-96 and outhitting them 229-182. Nevada is giving up one more home run than the team has hit this year, 18-17.
Last season, Nevada went 27-27 and 12-12 in conference.
Sierra Mello and Sadaria McAlister lead the team with 37 hits each with Mello leading in batting average (.370), triples (2) and McAlister leading in total bases (54). Kenzi Goins has a team-hgih six home runs, .461 on-base percentage and .671 slugging percentage. Dallas Millwood leads with 26 RBI.
As a team, Nevada is 10-for-14 on stolen base attempts, while opponents are 20-for-26. McAlister has attempted the most steals with six, but has only successfully stolen four times.
Nevada pitchers have an ERA of 3.86 as a staff, allowing 182 hits on the season and 96 runs (80 earned). As a unit, they have struck out 191 batters while walking 72. Opponents are hitting .252 against the pitchers. Of the 182 hits, 28 were doubles and 18 were home runs. They have not allowed a triple all season.
The Wolf Pack have used four pitchers this season, with Kendall Fritz pitching a team-high 66.0 innings. Fritz has a 5-4 record on 14 appearances and 11 starts, while pitching five complete games and recording one shutout. In the circle, the freshman has given up 63 hits, 33 runs (28 earned), 79 strikeouts and 29 walks. Julia Jensen has pitched 61.1 innings in 16 games and with nine starts, pitching five complete games, two shutouts and tallying a 7-2 record. The sophomore has allowed 55 hits, 29 runs (27 earned) and 26 walks and has struck out 56 batters. Kali Sargent has gone 53.1 innings in the circle, making 14 appearances and nine starts with two shutouts and four complete games, and has a 4-6 record on the season. The senior has given up 55 hits, 29 runs (22 earned) and 15 walks while striking out 54.Rachel Rodriguez has pitched just 6.0 innings this season in four games, with nine hits, five runs (three earned), two walks and three strikeouts, for a 1-0 record. Sargent has a team-best 3.71 ERA, followed by Fritz (3.82), Jensen (3.96) and Rodriguez (4.50).
The Wolf Pack are ranked 16th in the NCAA in doubles per game (1.76), 38th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.65), 60th in fielding percentage (.968), 67th in batting average (.294) and 79th in slugging percentage (.438).
Dallas Millwood is ranked 58th in RBI per game (1.04) and Kendall Fritz is 44th in the country in strikeouts per seven innings (8.4), which leads the Mountain West. Fritz is tied for the conference lead in strkeouts with 79.