ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.– The University of New Mexico softball team returns to Texas for its final non-conference series against another ranked opponent in No. 10/11 Texas.
UNM will play three games against the Longhorns, with a game on Friday at 5 p.m. MT and two on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. MT. All three games will be on the Longhorn Network.
To date, the Lobos have played then-No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 4 Arizona, No. 9/8 Oklahoma State, No. 11/13 Arizona State and now Texas.
RECORD WATCH
Senior shortstop Cameryn O’Grady currently has hit 46 career doubles, putting her third all-time in program history. She needs just one double to ascend to second, and three for the record held by Marianna Fenello, who played from 1998-01.
CAM’S GOT THE POWER
O’Grady has led off in the Lobo lineup for the last 11 games. In that time, the senior is hitting .321 with a slugging percentage of .679 and an on-base percentage of .44, with nine hits, two doubles, a triple and two home runs for five RBI. With Andrea Howard batting second, the Lobos have a powerful 1-2 punch.
The shortstop is seventh in the MW in on-base percentage but leads the conference in hit-by-pitches.
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
The Lobos had a solid lineup returning from 2020 but needed to fill two spots in the lineup at the DP and infield position. Rachael Hathoot, who played third all of her freshman year, moved over to second and Izabella Owen took over the third base duties. At the designated player position, left-handed hitter Peyton Robinson stepped in to the role and started all six games over the opening weekend, five at DP and one in right field.
To date, Robinson has started 14 games at DP, four in the outfield and Owen has started 15 games at third, four games at first and one game at DP. This season, Robinson has been among the best hitters at the plate for the Lobos, second on the team in batting average (.289), third in slugging percentage (.342), on-base percentage (.317), hits (11), doubles (two) and total bases (13). Hitting ninth in the lineup, Robinson leads the team in sacrifice bunts with three, and is a slapper who has used her speed to beat out throws to first and stretch out outfield hits into doubles. Owen is fourth on the team in batting average (.170), hits (nine) and slugging percentage (.189) and third in RBI (four).
GOING WITH GUINDON
Newcomer Emma Guindon leads the team in appearances (12), games started (11) and innings pitched (58.2) and has thrown six complete games. The junior has a team-best 6.09 ERA and team-high 22 strikeouts with 10 looking. Guindon is responsible for the win over Southern Utah, pitching 5.0 innings and allowed three runs on six hits, striking out four batters.
SCOUTING TEXAS
Texas is currently 16-2, but is scheduled to play two games against No. 15 Louisiana on Thursday evening. Texas has wins over Wichita State, North Texas, Texas State, Sam Houston State, Lamar, Mississippi State, LSU, Texas A&M-CC, Tarleton State, BYU, McNeese and Texas Southern. Their two losses are to then No. 13/12 LSU. Seven of UT’s wins have come by run-rule and Texas is 1-1 in extra-inning games.
Texas is led at the plate by Janae Jefferson with 29 hits, followed by 21 for Shannon Rhodes, who leads with 53 total bases, nine home runs and 28 RBI. Colleen Sullivan leads the Longhorns with six doubles on 18 hits overall. UT has used five pitchers to date, with Shea O’Leary and Ryleigh White each with seven appearances and six starts. Molly Jacobsen has made a team-high eight appearances with three starts and Ariana Adams has appeared in seven games with two starts. Courtney Day has started one game but pitched in four. O’Leary leads the group in innings pitched with 31.1, followed closely behind by Jacobsen’s 29.2 innings. Jacobsen leads with two complete games throwne, with Adams, O’Leary and White each having one. As a staff, Texas carries a 2.47 ERA with 52 runs allowed (40 earned), 105 hits, 101 strikeouts and just 34 walks. Adams and Jacobsen have each allowed just two walks on the season, with Day at five walks allowed and O’Leary at eight.
Texas is fifth in the NCAA in batting average (.386), seventh in slugging percentage (.655), eighth in on-base percentage (.459), ninth in scoring (8.22) and 10th in home runs per game (1.78). Rhodes is 12th in the NCAA in RBI, 13th in home runs, 14th in home runs per game, 15th in RBI per game and 16th in runs per game. Jefferson is 25th in hits and Sullivan is 27th in on-base percentage. From the pitchers, Jacobsen leads in strikeout-to-walk ratio (15.0).
SERIES VS. TEXAS
The Lobos and Longhorns last played each other last season in Austin, with the Longhorns taking the win. UT currently holds a 6-0 advantage in the series with the Lobos.