In some ways UNM softball players Amy Dumas and Hayley Punter are treated like any other freshmen. They get hassled by their teammates, have to carry the upperclassmen’s bags and are required to put away equipment after practices.
But they are not just any freshmen. They are the two pitchers the Lobos count on to shut down the opposition and give the team a chance to win.
Dumas and Punter have combined for 29 of UNM’s 36 wins this season. They have contributed much to the Lobos’ success this season and are a major reason why UNM can think about winning a conference championship.
“The two of them have been a good surprise for us,” head coach Susan Craig said. “They have made a big difference in our season.”
Each player had distinguished careers before coming to UNM. Dumas, from Farmington, N.M., was a four-year letterwinner on her softball team. She starred as a pitcher on a team that won three district titles and two state titles.
“The skills that I learned and the tough competition I faced have helped me adjust,” Dumas said. “I learned the basic skills, my technique and it has helped me a lot.”
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Punter came from Australia with a rÇsumÇ that included playing on club teams in Italy and Australia and with the country’s junior national team. She also was chosen to play on the national team.
“It was the best experience of my life wearing my national colors,” Punter said. “It taught me a great deal about pitching and how to be competitive.”
She came to play in the United States because she said she could play more softball. When it is summer in the United States, it is winter in Australia and vice versa, so she can play softball year-round.
They have had some unexpected early success at the Division I level.
Dumas said she did not expect to get much playing time because she was a freshman, but it is the Lobos who are fortunate she has played. In 31 games, she leads the team in wins with 15 and leads the conference with a 1.20 earned-run-average.
“I’m a competitor, I really go after batters,” Dumas said. “I pitch my best when I am not thinking. I just go out there and pitch.”
After starting the season losing two of her first three starts, Dumas ran off 11 straight victories. She earned Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week honors twice and pitched a one-hit shutout in the championship game of the Corpus Christi Invitational.
Punter has adapted very quickly to the competition. She has a 14-6 record, with a 2.81 ERA. She is 6-2 in conference play.
“My pitches have a lot of movement, and I try to move the ball around,” she said. “The pitches usually curve into batters so I get a lot of pop flies. I have an advantage because there are not many left-handed pitchers throwing movement. It tricks them.”
Her pitching style has helped her lead the team in strikeouts with 148, including a conference-high 12 strikeouts against Colorado State University April 7. She was named Conference Pitcher of the Week for her performance in that game.
“Basically, they just wanted to play and prove themselves,” Craig said. “They came in with the mindset that they weren’t content to sit the bench.”
Both have also gone through some inconsistency that is expected from freshmen.
Dumas has struggled a bit lately, going 3-4 in the conference, but still has a 2.85 ERA. She said she is struggling because she is trying to think too much about what to pitch.
Punter had to adjust to pitching at a longer distance. In Australia, the pitching distance is 40 feet, while the distance is 43 feet in college.
“I adjusted a lot quicker than I thought I would,” Punter said. “It hasn’t been easy, but I have been working hard.”
Both players have gone through similar experiences, which has made the transition to college easier.
“It’s easier when you have someone that is going through the same thing you’re going through,” Dumas said. “You’re kind of there for each other through the good things and the bad things.”
Craig said the two pitchers also have helped the offense. With both players carrying the pitching load, it has allowed the Lobos’ third pitcher and clean-up hitter, senior Kathy Moore, to concentrate on driving in runs.
But no matter how well and valuable Dumas and Punter are to the team, their teammates make sure the freshmen pay their dues.
“They make sure we know that we are freshman,” Punter said. “We get freshmen abuse, but we have a good team atmosphere.”
