LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State baseball team completes their 10-game road stretch this weekend as they travel to Santa Barbara. Calif.
The Aggies will face off against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (7-11), March 24-26. First pitch for the opening contest on Friday is set for 4 p.m. MT.
PROBABLE STARTERS
The Aggies rotation out in California features the same starters that took the mound for the team's last weekend series against Utah. On the bump to open the series this Friday will be
Kyle Bradish who currently holds a 2-0 record with 26 strikeouts and a 2.42 ERA over 26 innings of work. Saturday's contest will feature
Marcel Renteria (3-1/30 K/3.75 ERA) on the mound, while
Jonathan Groff (2-3/23 K/3.23 ERA) will close out the weekend series.
CATCH THE ACTION
Aggie fans can listen to all three of this weekend's contests on 91.5 FM KRUX or on
TuneIn Radio as Adam Young will have the call.
GET CONNECTED
Get up to the minute information and news about the NM State baseball team all season on Twitter, and Instagram by following @NMStateBaseball and on Facebook.com/NMSUAthletics.
GET YOUR SEASON TICKETS NOW!
With the start of the 2017 season tickets, Aggie fans can be a part of the action for all 23 home games (including three double-headers) for just $100 per seat. Season tickets will guarantee fans a seat in the reserved section of 104 behind home plate. Fans can purchase 2017 Aggie baseball season tickets by going to the Pan American Center ticket office or by calling 575-646-1420.
LOOKING AT THE GAUCHOS
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos are coming into the contest at 3-7 in their last 10 games. Most recently, the Gauchos dropped the final game of a weekend series, 7-0, to Stony Brook on Sunday, March 19.
The opponent has five batters hitting above .300, led by junior Colton Burns batting .393 with a .532 on-base percentage and a .475 slugging percentage.
The Gauchos pitching staff has compiled a 5.42 ERA through 151.0 innings. Friday's starter for UCSB, RHP Noah Davis, boasts a 4-1 record with 28 strikeouts through 33 innings.
So far this season, UCSB has been outscored by opponents 107-88 through the team's first 18 games.
ROAD WARRIORS
The weekend series against the Gauchos closes out a 10-game road stretch for the team which began with a weekend series at Utah, March 10-12. The extended trip for the team featured three opponents who competed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament (Arizona, Utah and UCSB), while Arizona and UC Santa Barbara advanced to the College Baseball World Series.
GETTING STREAKY
Second baseman
Brent Sakurai is currently on a 15-game hitting-streak, which is the longest on the team this season. The senior has also reached base in 17 consecutive games.
WELCOME TO THE LASER SHOW
The Aggies as a team have been a handful for opposing pitching staffs as the team is currently second in the nation in hits (261) and is third in batting average (.335).
The production at the plate features two Aggies sitting in the top-25 in the NCAA in hits, led by
Joey Ortiz in 13th (35) and
Brent Sakurai in 18th (34).
Austin Botello also ranks 1st in individual game hit total with 6 and
Tristen Carranza is tied for the nation's lead with 9 RBI in a contest.
LAST TIME OUT
To begin the week, NM State opened with a doubleheader on Monday, March 20 against the Benedictine University at Mesa Redhawks (18-11). The two contests saw the bats come to life for each program as the Aggies persevered with an 8-6 win to open, followed by a 10-7 victory to close out the day's contests.
NM State then head just south to Tucson, Arizona to square off against the No. 9 ranked Arizona Wildcats (16-4) on Tuesday, March 21. The Aggies battled the 2016 College Baseball World Series runner-up until the end, but ended up dropping the contest 6-3.
UP NEXT
Upon completion of the three-game weekend series, New Mexico State will then head home as they get set for the second instalment of the Battle of I-25 rivalry against New Mexico on Tuesday, March 28 at 6 p.m. MT at Presley Askew Field.
