The UNM softball team hosts defending Mountain West Conference tournament champion Colorado State this weekend with a doubleheader Saturday at Lobo Field. It marks the first game of conference play for both teams.
Colorado State remains the No. 1 team in the conference this season, with 22 wins and nine losses. The Rams had four players on last year's all-tournament roster, including the most valuable player. All four returned this year.
Newbern said it is important that the Lobos get the conference started on the right foot. This weekend's game will be a good test.
"We had a hard time with them last year," she said. "So it will be a good measuring tool to see how far we've come this year."
MVP pitcher Megan Masser leads a tough defense for Colorado State. Backing her up are Stephanie Roberts and Ricki Walker in the infield and sophomore Melanie Laffoon in the outfield.
UNM head coach Kim Newbern said the Rams excel at bat, too.
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"I think they're very well-rounded, and that's why they're having so much success this year," Newbern said. "They're a really solid team, and we were unable to beat them last year."
Colorado State swept the series with UNM in 2003 and went on to beat top-seeded San Diego State in the MWC championships to get into the NCAA tournament, where the Rams lost to Arizona in the first round. The Rams finished the season 13-7, while the Lobos turned in a 7-13 record.
This year, the Rams will face a revamped UNM team, which is 25-18 and holds first place in 17 team statistical categories. With Ashley Perkins, Amy Dumas and Iraina Ogas on the mound, the Lobos are leading in eight pitching categories, including strikeouts, saves, wins and sacrifice bunts allowed. While pitching is a strength, batting is not.
However, the Lobo offense exploded last weekend against Harvard, when UNM had five homers in the first game, including two from senior Sabrina Sandberg.
"I don't know how they did it," Newbern said. "Power is a funny thing. It's not consistent. Our girls definitely have the potential to hit with power, but it's not always consistent. But that's true for any team."
The Lobos are coming off a 2-4 showing at last weekend's Mean Green/Wells Fargo Classic, where they split the series with Northern Colorado and Harvard and lost two to North Texas.
Colorado State is coming off a week of rest after going 7-2 at a tournament in Orlando, Fla.
The Lobos and the Rams will match up at 1 and 3 p.m on Saturday. Admission is free for students with a Lobo ID.
