O'Grady with Career Day as Lobos Split with Broncos
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Senior shortstop Cameryn O’Grady had a game to remember in Saturday’s first game against Boise State, going 2-for-3 at the plate, with one hit making history and one hit going for a walk-off grand slam.
Boise State opened the scoring in the top of the first off of starting pitcher Emma Guindon and it wasn’t until the bottom of the third that the Lobos really got the bats going.
Reyan Tuck led off the inning with a double that hit the wall in left field and two at-bats later, Peyton Robinson reached on a bunt that put runners on the corners. On a 2-2 count, O’Grady made contact with the pitch and drove it to right field, reaching the wall for a bases-clearing stand-up double.
In the process, not only did O’Grady tie the game at two but set the UNM program record in career doubles with 49. The previous record holder was Marianna Fenelli, who finished with 48 after playing from 1998-2001 for the Lobos.
Solid outfield play from right fielder Taryn Young kept the Broncos from taking the lead in the fourth, making an on-target throw home to keep the runner on third, with the Lobos getting out of the inning on a grounder to Rachael Hathoot at second.
The game remained tied until the seventh inning when the Broncos plated two runs on a two RBI single up the middle for Jordyn Hutchins, but the Lobos evaded any further damage with a bases-loaded grounder to O’Grady, who threw home to get the force out at the plate and a fly ball to Andrea Howard in center for the third out.
Lauren Wilmert started the seventh inning comeback with a single up the middle, with Tuck following up reaching base after getting just enough contact to put the ball in play. Young walked on four pitches to load the bases and with one out, O’Grady delivered with the game-winning hit.
The senior fell behind in the count 1-2, but got the count back to even on the next pitch and fouled off the pitch after that. O’Grady got ahold of the sixth pitch of the at-bat, driving the ball to deep center and over the wall for a walk-off grand slam.
O’Grady topped her career-high five RBI game from April 10 at home against Nevada with six RBI in the game. It was the sixth home run of the season for O’Grady, tying her with Howard for the team high and a tie for the most home runs in a season for the senior.
UNM had seven hits in the first game with O’Grady and Tuck each going 2-for-3 with Tuck recording her fourth double of the season and Hathoot hitting her seventh double of the season.
Guindon threw a complete game, her ninth of the season and picked up her fourth win of the season. On the other side of the scorecard, UNM handed Bronco pitcher Hannah Bailey her first loss of the year.
GAME TWO
After a scoreless first, the Broncos again opened the scoring with two runs on a two-run home run by Karlee Johnson.
UNM finally got to Bronco starting pitcher Sara Johnson in the fourth, with doubles being the common denominator.
Howard hit a one-out double to right field followed by Hathoot hitting a double left field to cut the deficit in half. Izabella Owen scored Hathoot with a double to center field, advancing to third on the play on a bobble by the center fielder attempting to field the ball off the wall. Boise State made a pitching change to bring in Bailey for Johnson and Briana Martinez welcomed her to the circle with a double down the left-field line to bring home Owen and give UNM the 3-2 lead. In all, the Lobos hit four-straight doubles to gain the lead.
The Lobos had a chance to add to the lead in the fifth with a two-out triple to left field by O’Grady, with the ball hitting off the wall and bouncing away from the Bronco left fielder for her third extra-base hit of the doubleheader, but after a Howard walk on a full count, the two Lobos were left on base on a grounder to shortstop.
Boise State took the lead back in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run by Hutchins off of Lobo relief pitcher Kiana Spencer, and while Owen singled to center to start the sixth and stole second, the Lobos were unable to bring across the tying run.
Ashlyn Roberts got the start in the second game, going 4.0 innings and allowing two runs on three hits, walking one and striking out two. Spencer was credited with the loss, throwing 3.0 and having a similar stat line with two runs on three hits with two strikeouts.
The Lobos and Broncos conclude the series on Sunday at noon MT with the game to be streamed on the Mountain West Network.
Of note, O’Grady and Hathoot enter the game with a streak of eight games reaching base and a four-game hit streak.