by David J. Chavez
Daily Lobo
The UNM softball team started conference play with a pair of losses to Colorado State in a doubleheader Saturday.
Lobo head coach Kim Newbern said Colorado State hurt UNM with its offense after inconsistent play from the Lobos.
"Offensively, we knew they were going to be a threat, and our pitchers didn't come out ready to shut them down," she said. "Of course, it's a whole team effort, and today we didn't play consistent throughout the game like we have been."
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The Lobos lost the first game 12-7, and the Rams got a 9-3 victory in the second.
Colorado State starting pitcher Kim Klabough allowed UNM only one hit in the first three innings, which led to an early 5-0 lead for the Rams. The Lobos waged a comeback in the fourth, bringing the score to 5-4 with help from Mountain West Conference RBI leader Kristina Schmallen. The Rams then scored two runs off UNM
reliever Jen Mendenhall in the top of the fifth, but the Lobos battled back in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 7.
Mendenhall said the Lobos played well offensively, but they had some troubles at the plate.
"(CSU is) a well-rounded team, and they just got a couple of good hits off me when I came into the game," she said. "We hit the ball well in the first game, but we just gave up too many runs."
UNM starter Katie Gregg came back into the game in the seventh and gave up five runs, while Colorado State's Jessica Strickland held the Lobos hitless in the sixth and seventh. The second game of the doubleheader ended in similar fashion with the Rams continuing their offensive dominance.
Colorado State once again jumped out to an early lead scoring three runs in the first inning. The Lobos scored in the third from a sacrifice fly by Cassie Chavez. In the fifth, the Rams added one run to their lead, bringing the score to 4-2. The sixth inning started with a double from Schmallen, who later scored off an RBI single from Ashley Allen, which brought the Lobos back to within one run.
Ryanne Hodgins then stepped to the plate and drove in Allen with an RBI single of her own, bringing the score to 4-3 going into the seventh.
The Rams put on an offensive display in the top of the seventh by scoring five runs for a 9-3 win.
UNM catcher Liz Young said Saturday's games will be used as a learning tool to improve a young team for conference play.
"I don't think these two games will reflect on how we're going to compete against our conference opponents," she said. "I think we have a good team, but we're young, so there's going to be some things we need to work on going into conference play."
UNM will play at UNLV and San Diego State in doubleheaders next weekend. The Lobos' next home stand is April 13 at 1 p.m. against Brigham Young University.
The Lobos have lost 16 straight games to the Rams. The weekend also marks the first time UNM has lost back-to-back games since February.
"I used to feel like it was a mental thing in the past, where they just got into our heads, but I didn't feel that was an issue today," Newbern said.
