LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State baseball team gets set to close out the regular season at home against Western Athletic Conference opponent CSU Bakersfield, May 18-20.
First pitch for the opening contest on Thursday, May 18, is slated for 6 p.m. MT. The second game of three on Friday begins at 6 p.m. as well and the final contest on Saturday is set to start at noon with Senior Day ceremonies to follow post-game.
PROBABLE STARTERS
The Aggies rotation for the home WAC series features the usual weekend starters on the bump. In the series opener on Thursday the team starts Kyle Bradish, who currently holds an 8-1 record and a 2.58 ERA. The right-handed hurler is going to face off against CSU Bakersfield's Max Carter (8-1, 2.93). Friday's contest features Marcel Renteria (7-2, 4.00) on the mound versus Aaron Charles (4-0, 3.21). Jonathan Groff (8-5, 2.91) closes out the series against Andrew Hansen (4-3, 5.24).
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.
FOLLOW THE ACTION
Each game for the Aggies final regular season series can be heard on 91.5 FM KRUX with Adam Young on the call. Fans can also listen to the live call on their mobile or tablet device on the TuneIn app for free by searching 91.5 FM KRUX.
The series opener on Thursday, May 18, can also be streamed live on the WAC Digital Network.
HOME FINALE PROMOTIONS
The regular season finale for the Aggies at Presley Askew Field is jam-packed with game day promotions. Thursday's series opener features Bark at the Park where fans are encouraged to bring their dog to the game.
On Friday, the New Mexico State baseball program is hosting a kid's clinic before the game. Check-in begins at 4:00 p.m. (MT) with the clinic scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m.
Participants have the opportunity to learn from the New Mexico State coaching staff and selected players. Fans are then encouraged to attend the contest between the Aggies and Roadrunners on a night where one-dollar ice cream is available at the concession stands.
One-dollar deals continue into Saturday where hot dogs can be purchased for that price throughout the game.
The regular season finale on Saturday also highlights the 13 seniors on the Aggie roster with a Senior Day ceremony post-game to commemorate the student-athletes..
TRADITIONS OF OLD
Baseball trading cards have been synonymous with the game of baseball and Aggie fans will get their chance at history this weekend as NM State rolls out the final additions to its trading card series. Only 250 of each edition will be available so be sure to get to the stadium early. Andy Frakes cards are going to be distributed on Thursday with Dan Hetzel editions to be rolled out on Friday. For the finale on Saturday, trading cards for head coach Brian Green are going to be distributed.
SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS
CSU Bakersfield enters the weekend series against NM State holding a 28-20 overall record and 13-8 in WAC play. The Roadrunners are 7-3 in their last 10 contests.
At the plate, the opponent is led by Ryan Grotjohn who boasts a batting average of .400, good for eighth in the NCAA. Grotjohn also owns a team-high .530 slugging and .455 on-base percentage.
David Metzgar also excels at the dish with a .396 BA and a team-leading 16 stolen bases. Mahlik Jones holds a .347 BA to go along 42 RBI, good for first on the squad.
On the mound CSU Bakersfield's Thursday night starter Max Carter leads the team in strikeouts with 60 to go along with a team low .220 opposing BA over 83.0 innings of work. Aaron Charles holds an unblemished 4-0 record and has only allowed six extra-base hits this season.
From the bullpen, Naithen Dewsnap is the opponent's go-to closer with 26 appearances, a team-low 2.38 ERA, 12 saves and 51 strikeouts through 41.2 innings.
The pitching staff as a whole for the Roadrunners has compiled a 4.54 ERA with a .282 opposing BA and 127 extra-base hits allowed over 416.1 innings.
THE WAC LEADER
Along with leading the race for the number one spot in the WAC Tournament, the Aggies also lead their conference foes in numerous key statistical categories.
Among the nine-teams in the WAC, NM State posts highs in batting average (.320), slugging percentage (.497), on-base percentage (.403), runs (415), hits (588), RBI (376), doubles (109), triples (28), home runs (54) and total bases (915).
From the hill, the Aggie rotation leads the league in strikeouts (407) and wins (33).
LOOKING TO CHANGE THE RECORD BOOKS
The NM State squad is inching closer to numerous records in program history. The team's 28 triples this season is one shy of the single-season record of 29 and the squad boasts a fielding percentage of .968, tied for the best in school history.
Aggie second baseman Brent Sakurai sits in the top-10 in single-season triples in program history. The senior's total of six puts him in a tie for fifth. That mark was set in 1988 by Gil Padilla, who recently won his 300th game at Las Cruces High School.
Ruger Rodriguez' eight saves put him in a tie for third all-time. Rodriguez is one save shy of tying the Aggies all-time record held by Orlando Griego (1989) and Scott Coffman (2011).
With two more strikeouts this weekend, Marcel Renteria can move into the top-10 for a single-season high.
Two players also boast recent highs as Tristen Carranza's 16 home runs in the most by an Aggie since 2012 and Kyle Bradish's 2.58 ERA is the best by an NM State starter since 1972.
LAST TIME OUT
NM State returned from Chicago, Ill. where they squared off against Chicago State in a three-game series. On a great weekend both on the mound and at the plate, the Aggies opened the series with a 12-1 run-rule victory in seven innings.
In game two, the team took down the opposition 10-4, followed by a 3-1 toppling in the final game.
NM State became the first WAC team to sweep Chicago State this season.
UP NEXT
Following the final regular series, the Aggies then get set for the WAC Tournament which takes place in Mesa, Ariz., May 24-28.
