Lobos Travel to San Diego State for Next MW Series
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.– Another week and another Mountain West series on the schedule with three games against San Diego State, starting with a doubleheader on Saturday.
The University of New Mexico enter the series having won three of its last five games and coming off of a series win against Boise State. The current Mountain West standings make the upcoming series even more significant in that the Aztecs sit at 7-8 in the conference and the Lobos within reach of catching them at 5-10.
Of the Mountain West common opponents that UNM and SDSU have played so far (Nevada, UNLV, Boise State), the records are comparable with Lobos at 4-5 compared to SDSU at 3-6.
All three games will be streamed on the Mountain West Network, with the first game of the doubleheader scheduled for 3 p.m. MT and Sunday’s game scheduled for 1 p.m. MT.
A LOOK BACK BEFORE LOOKING AHEAD
The Lobos earned their first series win of the season, their first Mountain West series since 2018 and their first series win over Boise State since 2016, with a come-from-behind win in game one and a four-run fourth inning that propelled UNM to a 6-3 win and series win. Emma Guindon earned both wins on the weekend, throwing 11.0 innings with a complete game in Saturday’s win and 4.0 innings of relief in Sunday’s game. Ashlyn Roberts earned the start in games two and three, throwing a total of 7.0 innings, and Kiana Spencer was credited with the loss after pitching 3.0 innings. Eight Lobos had at least one hit in the series, led by Cameryn O’Grady at five, Rachael Hathoot, Andrea Howard, Reyan Tuck and Peyton Robinson with three each, Lauren Wilmert and Izabella Owen with two and Briana Martinez with one.
KEEP IT ROLLING
Several Lobos enter the series with San Diego State on a streak of either reaching base or a hitting. Rachael Hathoot and Cameryn O’Grady have safely reached base in the last nine games with Peyton Robinson reaching safely in the last four, while O’Grady and Hathoot each are on a five-game hitting streak.
ALL HAIL THE DOUBLES QUEEN
With a double in the bottom of the third in the first game against Boise State on April 24, Cameryn O’Grady officially was crowned the all-time leader in UNM program history with 49 career doubles. O’Grady surpassed the record held by Marianna Fenello, who played from 1998-01. O’Grady started the season tied for fourth with 43 and has six this season after finishing the shortened 2020 season with 15, the 2019 season with 16 and the 2018 season with 12.
AND THE AWARD GOES TO…
Cameryn O’Grady was named the Mountain West Player of the Week on April 27 after a dominant performance at the plate in the series against Boise State. Four of O’Grady’s five hits went for extra bases with two home runs, including a walk-off grand slam, a triple, a double, and tallied nine runs-batted-in, a 1.400 slugging percentage and .583 on-base percentage. In addition, she was 4-for-5 with runners in scoring position and 5-for-7 in advancing runners.
Two of O’Grady’s hits were especially notable, with both occurring in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader. O’Grady tied the game at two in the bottom of the third with a bases-clearing double. In the bottom of the seventh, with the Lobos trailing 4-2, O’Grady hit a walk-off grand slam over the wall in center, ultimately accounting for all six runs in the Lobos’ win and in the process established a career high in runs-batted-in at six.
In the final game of the series on Sunday, O’Grady hit her second home run of the weekend, a three-run shot to right field as part of a four-run fourth inning, which proved to be the difference as the Lobos won 6-3.
It is the second time that O’Grady has earned the conference weekly honor, after being named Mountain West Player of the Week on March 3, 2020.
CAM’S GOT THE POWER
Cameryn O’Grady may have a knack for doubles, but as the season has shown, the senior shortstop has power. O’Grady hit two home runs during the ASU/GCU Tournament, a three-run home run to tie the game against Arizona State on Feb. 28 and a home run against Oklahoma on Feb. 27 on the first at-bat of the game. The California native added a three-run home run in UNM’s 7-6 win over Colorado State on March 27. In the series versus Nevada, O’Grady hit a career-high two home runs in her first two plate appearances of the series, accounting for five RBI and in the most recent series against Boise State hit two home runs, a grand slam and a three-run home run, while also topping her career high with six RBI in the first game against the Broncos.
Cam leads the team in on-base percentage (.431), slugging percentage (.616), hit-by-pitches (11), home runs (seven), RBI (23), total bases (61), triples (two) and runs scored (24), and is second in batting average (.303), doubles (six) and hits (30).
In Mountain West games this year, O’Grady is second in on-base percentage (.491) and third in slugging percentage (.833), the only player in the MW in the top three in both categories. O’Grady is also tied for the conference lead in home runs (five), second in RBI with 17, tied for third in total bases (35), tied for seventh in runs scored (12) and eighth in batting average (.357). O’Grady also leads in walks with 10. In all games, O’Grady is third in slugging percentage, fourth in on-base percentage, seventh in total bases, eighth in home runs and tied for second in hit-by-pitches. In the field, O’Grady leads the conference with 73 assists in all games and is fourth in MW games with 33.
In the last series against Boise State, O’Grady finished with two home runs, including a walk-off grand slam, a triple, a double, nine runs-batted-in, a 1.400 slugging percentage and .583 on-base percentage, was 4-for-5 with runners in scoring position and 5-for-7 in advancing runners. In addition, against the Wolf Pack, O’Grady finished the series with a 1.111 slugging percentage and .583 on-base percentage to lead the Lobos.
O’Grady led off in the Lobo lineup for 11 games and has hit second in 26 games. As the leadoff hitter, the senior hit .321 with a slugging percentage of .679 and an on-base percentage of .444, with nine hits, two doubles, a triple and two home runs for five RBI. As the second hitter in the lineup, O’Grady is hitting .296 with a slugging percentage of .592 and on-base percentage of .425 with 21 hits, four doubles, five home runs and 18 RBI.
HATHOOT CAN HACK
Rachael Hathoot entered the season with just one home run her freshman year, but has hit a home run in two of the last three series. Hathoot hit her first home run in the second game against Nevada, a one-out, two-run HR that tied the game at 5-all in the sixth inning. Her second home run came in the last game at UNLV, a solo shot that opened the scoring in the fourth inning.
On top of hitting home runs, Hathoot has seven doubles on the season, tied for the team lead, is third in RBI (11), slugging percentage (.311) and total bases (33), fourth in runs scored (11), tied for fourth in hits (20) and fifth in batting average (.189). The Albuquerque native also leads in stolen bases with six on the season. Hathoot is 4-for-5 with runners on third and less than two outs and 21-for-50 (.420) in successfully advancing runners.
The infielder has been featured in several different spots in the Lobo lineup throughout the season. Hathoot has led off in eight games, hit third in three games, fourth in 18 games, fifth in six games and sixth in two games. Currently hitting in the cleanup spot, Hathoot is hitting .235 with 12 hits, five doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI and a slugging percentage of .451.
In just Mountain West games, Hathoot is tied for second in the conference in doubles (five).
GOING WITH GUINDON
Newcomer Emma Guindon leads the team in appearances (25), games started (23) and innings pitched (116.0) and has thrown nine complete games. The junior has a team-best 5.55 ERA and team-high 37 strikeouts with 16 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, and for the Nevada win, throwing a complete game and striking out three in five innings. The RHP has accounted for five of UNM’s wins, most recently both wins against Boise State with one complete game and one game entering in relief. The RHP leads the Mountain West in games started, is third in innings pitched and tied for third in appearances.
SCOUTING SAN DIEGO STATE
The Aztecs are 22-13 on the season and 7-8 in conference play, while 10-6 at home. In their most recent series, the Aztecs went 2-1 at Utah State, winning 6-3 and 13-10 and losing 10-7. SDSU scored five runs in the top of the seventh to win 13-10, with four runs occurring with two outs. Among its opponents this season were then-No. 1 UCLA (14-0 loss in five innings), then-No. 5/6 Washington (lost 6-1 and 5-0 and won 4-0).
Jillian Celis leads the team in batting average (.342) and doubles (11), with Shelby Thompson leading with 68 total bases. Thompson is tied with Celis in hits (38) and with Alexa Shultz for the team lead in RBI at 26, with Schultz leading in home runs (nine) and slugging percentage (.637). Nicole Siess has three triples to lead the Aztecs.
On the base paths, San Diego State is 58-75 with Jenna Holcomb 12-14, Riley Thies 8-12 and Siess 7-10.
As a team, in MW games the Aztecs lead the conference in batting average (.317), doubles (24), total bases (213) and hits (139), and are second in slugging percentage (.485) and on-base percentage (.379) and third in runs scored (74) and home runs (16). The pitching staff is fourth in ERA at 3.92, opposing batting average (.274) and batters struck out (78).
SDSU has used four pitchers this season with Maggie Balint starting a team-high 16 games and appearing in 26 games, while throwing 11 complete games with a save. The RHP has pitched a team-high 125.2 innings, allowing 98 hits, 48 runs (42 earned), walking 35 and striking out 112 for a 2.34 ERA . Marissa Moreno has started 11 games with 16 appearances, throwing two complete games and 55.2 innings. A RHP, Moreno has allowed 69 hits, 34 runs (30 earned), and has walked 30 and struck out 25. Moreno enters the series with a 3.77 ERA. Hannah Johnson has pitched in 11 games with seven starts, and carries a 4.57 ERA. Also a RHP, Johnson has thrown 30.2 innings with 39 hits, 20 runs (all earned), three walks and 17 strikeouts and has pitched a complete game. Karina Faasisila has appeared in 14 games with one start, throwing a total of 28.2 innings. Entering with a 5.13 ERA, the LHP has allowed 38 hits, 25 runs (21 earned), walked 10 and struck out 19.
Shelby Thompson is fifth in MW games in batting average (.377) and slugging percentage (.679), tied for third in runs scored (13) and fourth in on-base percentage (.443). Thompson leads in hits with 20. Maggie Balint is fourth in MW games in opposing batting average (.219) and third in innings pitched (57.1).