Hurler nearly pitcher perfect

Can you smell what DeBroeck is cooking?

Sophomore right-hand hurler Kaela DeBroeck was virtually unstoppable on the mound Sunday, allowing two hits and one run in seven innings of work. Behind her arm, the UNM softball team got its first Mountain West Conference win — a 2-1 victory over UNLV.

Head coach Erica Beach said that DeBroeck’s pitches were on point.
“She did a good job of hitting her spots today,” Beach said. “She did a nice job mixing things up and keeping the batters guessing, and what I really liked was her ability to dig deep and get out of trouble when she needed to.”

Sunday’s victory came after a bumpy Friday, where the Lobos were run-ruled 8-0 by San Diego State. Then Saturday, UNLV dispatched UNM 3-1 in Game 1, UNM’s only run coming off a fielding error in the second inning.

But in Sunday’s hotly contested pitchers’ duel, UNM was first to draw blood.

The Lobos scored two in the bottom of the first inning off the bat of Danielle Castro, who doubled to right to score third baseman Kaity Ingram and centerfielder Kerry Hodgins.

Ingram, who was 3-for-3 from the plate, said everyone contributed.
“Everyone has a good day; everyone has a bad day,” she said. “Our entire team, one through nine, has the ability to put the ball in play and make things happen. Today it was the top of the lineup. Next week it might be the bottom of the lineup.”

UNLV’s designated hitter Kylie Wagner provided the Rebels’ only run with a solo homerun in the top of the fourth.

In the top of the fifth, UNLV’s Tayler Van Acker led off with a single, and DeBroeck walked the next batter to put the tying run in scoring position.

But that was as close as the Rebels came, as DeBroeck shut down the next three batters with two strikeouts and a groundout.

“I felt really good out there,” DeBroeck said. “I was moving the ball around, staying loose and doing what I do.”

DeBroeck said UNM will carry this weekend’s momentum into next weekend’s MWC series against Colorado State.

“We did a lot of good things this weekend, and we still have some things to fix,” she said. “But most importantly, we know that every game is going to be a dog fight from here on out, and we’re going to give it our all and leave everything on the field.”