UNM Outscores Opponents 17-4 in Wins Over UNC and UCSB
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The offensive spark from Friday night at Lobo Softball Field continued on to Saturday as The University of New Mexico softball team extended its win streak to three games following an 8-3 win over Northern Colorado and a 9-1 run-rule victory over UC Santa Barbara.
Between the two games, UNM (5-3) was led by senior shortstop Cameryn O’Grady who went 5-for-7 at the plate with three doubles and a home run, recording a team-high four RBI.
The Lobos saw production across the lineup, with five different Lobos posted two RBI on the day in Bailey Klitzke, Rachael Hathoot, Briana Martinez, Skylar Jenkins and Leslie Romero. Jenkins’ two runs-batted-in came on a pinch-hit home run against Northern Colorado for the first collegiate hit and home run for the redshirt-freshman. Romero also recorded her first collegiate hit with a double.
Following Saturday’s games, freshmen Martinez and Hathoot extended their on-base streak to eight games and Klitzke extended her hit streak to four games and her on-base streak to six games.
In the circle, UNM used three pitchers on the day with Kiana Spencer throwing a complete game in the win over UCSB and Brianna Sanchez and Kennedy Ferguson each throwing against UNC with Ferguson entering in relief and throwing 5.0 innings in the win.
GAME 1: Northern Colorado
While the Lobos were outhit 11-9 by the Bears, UNM once again used the long ball to defeat UNC by a score of 8-3.
Neither team was able to put a run on the board in the first two innings, but the bats got going in the third with both teams pushing across two runs.
After a leadoff double by Amanda Hedges and a bunt advanced her to third, the Bears got on the board with a single to center. Starting pitcher Sanchez exited with Ferguson entering in relief and although the Bears were able to score another run on a sacrifice hit to center, the Lobos ended the inning only trailing 2-0.
The deficit was erased in three at-bats and with one swing on the bat of Martinez. O’Grady hit a one-out single up the middle and Martinez launched a home run to center, easily clearing the deepest part of the field to tie the game at two.
Northern Colorado would plate a final run in the fifth on a bunt single, a sacrifice bunt and a single to center field, that while a successful relay from Andrea Howard to Reyan Tuck to O’Grady resulted in an out, it also resulted in a run for the Bears to put the visitors back in front 3-2.
UNM responded to UNC’s run with three of its own in the bottom half of the inning, starting with another double by O’Grady. Martinez followed up O’Grady’s hit with a single to the UNC shortstop to move the senior shortstop to third and the following at-bat by Howard would be the difference in the game’s outcome.
Howard made contact on the 1-0 pitch, sending it to right field to easily score O’Grady. However, a throwing error by the right fielder trying to throw out Martinez at third resulted in the ball getting away and Martinez scoring. While Martinez was running towards third, Howard continued on to second and advanced to third on the throwing error. As the Bears tried to track down the ball, Howard kept running, rounding third and ultimately managed to safely slide in to home plate to beat out the throw by UNC.
Ferguson faced the minimum in the sixth after Sydney Broderick threw out Brandi Haller at second on a steal attempt, and the Lobos would add to their lead in their turn at-bat.
Tuck led off with a double to left field and Jenkins entered to pinch hit for Broderick while Jennifer Hernandez entered to run for Tuck, resulting in a home run to right field and two more UNM runs. With two outs, the Lobos rallied to score another run with Hathoot singling and O’Grady hitting her second double of the game to plate Hathoot. UNM would score three runs on four hits.
Of note, UNM is 3-0 when hitting two or more home runs.
UNC would have one final chance in the top of the seventh, hitting a one-out single and a single up the middle that put runners on the corners, but a grounder to Ferguson closed the game.
Sanchez finished with a stat line of 2.0 innings pitched, allowing two runs on five hits. Ferguson closed the game pitching 5.0 innings and allowed just one run on six hits, striking out two batters in the fourth. Ferguson was efficient in the circle, throwing 41 strikes on 59 total pitches for her first win of the season.
GAME 2: UCSB
Facing UC Santa Barbara for the first time this tournament, the Lobos were quick to put runs on the board en route to a five inning 9-1 run-rule win over the Gauchos.
After Spencer retired the side to open the game, the Lobos needed just two at-bats to produce the first run of the game. Hathoot led off with a single to right field and O’Grady crushed the second pitch of her at-bat to center to score Hathoot from first for her seventh double on the season. Martinez battled with an eight-pitch at-bat to earn a walk and Howard moved O’Grady to third on a fielder’s choice to put runners on the corners with one out. Howard proceeded to steal second on the next at-bat, which resulted in a Lauren Wilmert walk to load the bases. Another walk by Klitzke brought in a run and the third run of the inning was delivered by a sacrifice fly by Romero that allowed Howard to tag and score for the early 3-0 Lobo lead.
Of note, with Howard’s stolen base in the first, the Lobos have successfully stolen a base in the last five games. Additionally, with O’Grady’s double, the Lobos have hit a double in each of the last five games as well.
UCSB (2-6) got one run back on a leadoff home run by Sierra Altmeyer, but Spencer limited further runs by working around two singles to get out of the inning with UNM still ahead 3-1.
Both pitchers kept the scoreboard silent in the bottom of the second and in both frames in the third before the Gauchos put the pressure back on Spencer in the fourth. UCSB loaded the bases on a fielder’s choice, a single to left and a walk, however the bases were left loaded on a fly out to Howard in center to end the inning.
The Lobos used the bottom half of the inning to put the game out of reach, scoring five runs on three hits to push the lead to 8-1.
Klitzke started the inning with a walk following a full count and Romero made the first hit of her collegiate career memorable with a double to right center to drive in Klitzke. After Romero moved to third on a Shafer groundout and Jenkins walked, Hathoot delivered with a bases-clearing triple to right , which also brought about a pitching change for the Gauchos.
O’Grady greeted the new pitcher, Alyssa Molina, with a home run to deep center on a 2-0 pitch for two more runs for the final runs of the inning. With the home run, UNM continued its streak of hitting a home run in a game to seven games.
UCSB attempted to answer with a big inning of its own in the top of the fifth, but the Lobo defense shut it down with the defensive play of the game.
Following a four-pitch walk to open the inning, the Gauchos got aggressive on the base paths, attempting to send the runner to third on a single to center field by Altmeyer. However, a relay from Howard to O’Grady to Hathoot was perfectly executed as the throw beat the runner and Hathoot was able to apply the tag for the second out of the inning. A fly out to Martinez in left ended the inning with a runner on second.
With the Lobos close to run-rule territory, UNM needed just two at-bats to produce the necessary run. Wilmert singled to left on the first pitch she saw in the bottom of the fifth and was able to run all the way around to third following a throwing error by the left fielder. On a 1-0 pitch count, Klitzke placed a hit right inside the first base line to bring in Wilmert to end the game.
In the game, UNM had three of its five leadoff hitters reach base and was five-for-five with runners on third.
Spencer (3-0) threw her second complete game on the weekend in 5.0 innings of work, allowing just one run on five hits, while striking out two batters and walking three. Of the 76 pitches thrown, 44 went for strikes.
Five different Lobos recorded a hit in the game, with Hathoot and O’Grady registering two. O’Grady accounted for three RBI, and Hathoot, Klitzke and Romero each contributing with two. Klitzke also reached base twice on walks as UNM led 5-3 in the category.
UNM closes out the Susan Craig Classic with a final game against UCSB scheduled for 12:30 p.m. MT.