TAMPA, Fla. – The NM State softball team is set to face USC Upstate on Friday at 9:00 a.m. MT in its first game of the USF Under Armour Classic at the USF Softball field. In addition to the Spartans, the Aggies will play South Florida, Detroit Mercy, East Carolina and Maine.
 
The games against USC Upstate and USF will be played at the USF Softball Field in Tampa, while the remaining games will take place at the Eddie C. Moore Softball Complex in Clearwater, Fla.
 
NM State is 17-8 this season after an 11-3 victory over New Mexico on Tuesday night. The Aggies took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Fiana Finau hit a three-run home run. After New Mexico knotted the score in the top of the third, NM State regained the lead in the bottom of the inning and never looked back as they captured the win.
 
This is the first time the Aggies and USC Upstate have squared off. The Spartans are currently 19-2 after winning a pair of midweek games 8-3 and 10-0, respectively, against Green Bay. Although USC Upstate is not ranked, they are receiving votes.
 
NM State is 1-4 overall against South Florida. The teams last played on Mar. 1, 2008 as the Aggies captured a 4-3 victory over the Bulls. South Florida is 14-9 this season after topping Utah 6-1 and 9-1 on Wednesday night.
 
The Aggies will also face Detroit Mercy for the first time in program history. Entering the weekend, the Titans are 5-16 after falling 8-0 and 10-6 in games one and two, respectively, of Tuesday's double header against FAU.
 
The series record is knotted at 1-1 between NM State and East Carolina. The Aggies and Pirates last competed on Mar. 10, 2012 where NM State captured a 14-5 victory. ECU enters the tournament with a 13-10 overall record after dropping a 7-3 decision at Florida International on Tuesday night.
 
This is also the first time in program history NM State will take on Maine. The Black Bears hold a 2-2 record entering the weekend. They last fell to Western Michigan 8-5 on Wednesday night.
 
Follow the Aggies this weekend and throughout the season at nmstatesports.com and on Twitter @nmstatesoftball.