LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State Aggies baseball team travels to Orem, Utah for a weekend series against Western Athletic Conference opponent Utah Valley, May 5-7.
First pitch for the opening contest on Friday, May 5, is slated for 6 p.m. MT. The second game of three on Saturday begins at 6 p.m. as well and the final contest on Sunday is set to start at noon.
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.
WHERE TO WATCH
NM State's game on Saturday, May 6, against WAC foe Utah Valley can be streamed live on the WAC Digital Network. The streaming service can be found by searching http://www.wacsports.com/watch.
LISTEN UP!
Aggie fans that can't make it to the three games this weekend can listen to Adam Young (@youngpbp) on 91.5 FM KRUX. Fans can also listen to the game live with their mobile or tablet device on the TuneIn app for free by searching 91.5 FM KRUX.
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.
SCOUTING AT THE WOLVERINES
Host Utah Valley enters the weekend series against NM State holding a 15-27 overall record and 8-7 in WAC play. The Lobos are 4-6 in their last 10 contests and lost their first game in the month of May to BYU, 23-4 on Tuesday, May 2.
At the plate, the opponent has two players who have started in all 42 games with a batting average above .300. The Wolverines are led offensively by Jackson Overlund who boasts a team-high average of .349 and 31 RBI with a slugging percentage of .586 and five home runs.
Trevor Peterson also excels at the dish with a .335 BA combined with 13 extra-base hits and a team-leading seven stolen bases.
On the mound Utah Valley's Sunday starter Paxton Schultz leads the team in strikeouts with 49 over 54.2 innings of work. Jackson Cofer has gotten the most work on the hill pitching 63.0 innings with 44 strikeouts and a .285 opposing BA.
From the bullpen, Patrick Wolfe is the opponent's go-to closer with 17 appearances, a team-low 1.80 ERA, 10 saves and only 10 hits allowed through 20.0 innings.
The pitching staff as a whole for the Wolverines has compiled a 7.17 ERA with a .325 opposing BA and 151 extra-base hits allowed over 362.2 innings.
CARRANZA PULLING DOUBLE DUTY
In the Aggies game on Tuesday against rival New Mexico, Tristen Carranza belted two home runs in the top of the fourth inning - a three-run blast followed by a grand slam.
Carranza joins only one other active player in the NCAA to homer twice in one inning. The feat was last accomplished by Cal Jadacki of Saint Joseph's, also in the top of the fourth, in a game against UMass on March 17, 2016.
STREAKS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN
On May 2 when NM State defeated UNM in Albuquerque, 12-5, the team ended a five-game losing streak on their rival's turf. The last time the Aggies won at New Mexico came by way of a 6-2 on decision on March 13, 2012.
GOODBYE FOR NOW
After wrapping up the contest against the Lobos this past Tuesday, the Aggies no longer have a midweek contest remaining on their regular season schedule. The team had competed in at least one midweek game in each of their first 11 weeks this season.
NM State now closes out the final three weeks of the regular season with three weekend series against WAC competitors Utah Valley (5/5-5/7), Chicago State (5/12-5/14) and CSU Bakersfield (5/18-5/20).
LOOKING TO CHANGE THE RECORD BOOKS
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 seventh. That mark was set in 1988 by Gil Padilla, who recently won his 300th game at Las Cruces High School.
Ruger Rodriguez' six saves put him in a tie for fifth all-time. Rodriguez is two saves shy of tying the Aggies all-time record held by Orlando Griego (1989) and Scott Coffman (2011).
LAST TIME OUT
The Aggies recently played in a midweek contest against in-state rival New Mexico on Tuesday, May 2. NM State got going early offensively with a home run by Austin Botello in the first inning, followed by nine runs for the squad in the fourth.
The team went on to defeat UNM 12-5 on a night where Andy Frakes got the win after pitching a career-high 8.1 innings and Tristen Carranza went 4-for-5 at the plate with two home runs and seven RBI.
UP NEXT
Following the weekend series, New Mexico State remains on the road and travels to Chicago, Ill. for a three-game weekend series against the Chicago State Cougars, May 12-14.
