Members of the UNM women's softball team said they know they have the defense that can help them become one of the best teams in the Mountain West Conference, but they're aching to prove they also have the offense that will propel them to the top.
The Lobos, who finished last season with a 39-24-1 record, struggled to score runs last year, but will get the chance this weekend to show that they can put runs on the scoreboard.
UNM is hosting the Diamond Invitational Feb. 1-3 and will face Indiana University and the University of Mississippi.
Although the Lobos are confident about their offense, some uncertainty remains after losing their best two hitters to graduation, Kathy Moore and Marianna Fenelli. In contrast, UNM is holding stable with one of the strongest pitching staffs in the conference. Sophomores Amy Dumas and Hayley Punter both scored high marks last season, with Dumas earning all-regional honors and Punter all-conference.
Dumas said the pitching staff has been working hard during the off-season and will be prepared for the start of the season. She said the pitchers have worked on a variety of pitches, hitting their spots and getting movement on the bag to pick up more speed.
Head coach Susan Craig said she thinks that both Dumas and Punter have matured into better pitchers, which will help lead the team until the offense catches up with the strong defense.
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Craig also recruited freshman Zara Mee, who participated in the U.S. Cup for Australia in June, to round out the pitching staff.
What should help the Lobos score more runs is their experience, benefiting from seven returning players, including seniors Michelle Carter, Cayley Warner and Brooke Chaffee; juniors Kelly Glass and Tiffani Chambers; and sophomores Kim Korsak and Sabrina Sandberg.
Chambers said the team has a much tougher schedule this year but she is excited and confident going into the tournament and is eager to begin playing.
"Once you get started, it's going to be a long season and it's going to keep going and never end," she said.
UNM will have to go through a little adversity at the start of the season. The team will be missing junior third baseman Elena Cranmer due to a knee injury she suffered in the fall.
Craig said she doesn't know if Cranmer will be out for the entire season, but added that she feels the team has a lot of potential, especially on offense.
"We've been doing some great things at practice, but you never know until you get in the game and face pitchers, exactly what you're going to be able to do," she said.
Craig said she has found a good replacement for Cranmer with freshman Krystal Mejia.
UNM is setting high expectations this year after failing to achieve many of its goals last season, losing in the fourth game of the conference tournament to San Diego State University at home.
"It was real disappointing for the team last year hosting the conference tournament and the seniors were the ones that really lost out," Craig said. "The thing you have to realize is every year is a different year and these seniors want to go to nationals and it's up to them to provide that leadership to give us a chance to go."
Craig said the downfall last season was not winning the big games when it counted, but she is looking forward to the team's positive energy.
"We have a good offensive scheme and a good strategy set-up and now it's up to them to execute it," she said. "They're ready to play."
The Lobos will have an interesting match-up on their hands against Indiana, with senior outfielder Monique Bullock returning to her hometown. Bullock was a four-year letterman at La Cueva High School in Albuquerque and earned all-city honors. Despite that potential threat, IU lost 15 games last season by at least two runs, including 10 losses by only one run, finishing its season with a 16-36 overall record.
Although the Lobos didn't play the Hoosiers last year, they did wipe out Ole Miss in a doubleheader during last season's Diamond Invitational. The Lobos beat UM by one run in the first game and answered with a 4-0 shutout in the second game.
