LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State softball team travels for a crucial road swing this week. The team battles No. 13 Arizona in Tucson, Ariz. with the doubleheader on Wednesday, April 18, set to begin at 5 p.m. MT. The Aggies then travel for a Western Athletic Conference series at Utah Valley, where NM State takes on the Wolverines at 2 p.m. on Friday before Saturday's doubleheader beginning 1 p.m.
GET CONNECTED
To stay connected with the softball team and catch all of the up-to-date information and breaking news, follow the Aggies on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, @NMStateSoftball.
WHERE TO WATCH
Fans can watch Wednesday's doubleheader with the Wildcats for free on the Pac-12 Plus Live Stream and Facebook Live. The series against UVU is available for viewers to stream for free on the WAC Digital Network.
RANK IT UP
As a team, NM State averages 1.67 doubles per game which ranks 11 nationally. The New Mexico State squad also posts a .502 slugging percentage which puts the team in 13th in the NCAA. In triples per game, NM State comes in at 16th nationally, averaging 0.33.
Individually, Kelsey Horton posts 17 total home runs and 0.44 home runs per game which places the junior in third and fourth, respectfully, in the NCAA for both categories. The Aggies' second baseman has 104 total bases this season, which ranks Horton 15th nationally. The junior's .832 slugging percentage is 18th nationally and second in the conference. Fahren Glackin also ranks in the top-20 nationally as the senior has tallied five triples this season which ranks 14th in the NCAA.
POWER PLAY
NM State has four wins against Power-5 opponents this season. The team opened the season with a doubleheader victory against then-No. 17 Kentucky. The Aggies also defeated Big 12 opponent Texas Tech 3-1 in a midweek contest on the road. Minnesota was New Mexico State's latest victim when the team took down the Gophers 3-0 in the series opener on March 16.
LAST TIME OUT
NM State posted a 2-1 record over the weekend when the team took on Grand Canyon. In the series opener, Horton tallied her 17th homer this season to help the team take down the Lopes 6-5. Kayla Green earned the win in the contest as she pitched 4.0 innings and allowed three runs on four hits while striking out a batter.
The Aggies shutout GCU 2-0 in the series finale against the Lopes. Caity Szczesny recorded an RBI single in the victory. In the circle, Green picked up her third victory as she pitched 6.1 innings and allowed just four hits while striking out one and allowing a single walk. Samaria Diaz earned her second save this season when she pitched 0.2 innings and recorded a strikeout.
KNOW YOUR FOE: NO. 13 ARIZONA
No. 13 Arizona comes into the midweek contest with a 27-12 overall record and sixth in the Pac-12 standings at 6-9. The Wildcats are batting .308 as a team and post a 2.29 ERA for their 2018 campaign. The team looks to snap a six-game skid as the Wildcats have been swept No. 4 Oregon and No. 3 UCLA in their last pair of series.
Alyssa Palomino leads the Arizona squad with a .411 batting average and she is tied for first with Jessie Harper with 12 home runs so far this season. Palomino also leads the team with an impressive .795 slugging percentage. In the circle, Taylor McQuillin holds a squad-best 1.86 ERA for her 29 appearances this season. The junior is 18-8Â having pitched 19 complete games and nine shutouts while also tallying 185 strikeouts this season.
KNOW YOUR FOE: UTAH VALLEY
Utah Valley enters the week with a 13-22 overall record for the season. The team is 5-3 against conference opponents which ranks UVU third in the league standings. As a squad, the Wolverines are batting .276 while the pitching staff holds a 4.71 ERA.
Peyton Angulo leads the team with a .381 batting average, which ranks second in the conference. The freshman posted a team-high nine doubles during her 84 at-bats this season while also leading the team with a .619 slugging percentage. Addie Jensen leads the UVU pitchers with a 3.18 ERA. The junior holds an 8-9 record in her 21 appearances this season. The 2017 WAC Pitcher of the Year Lauren Frailey-Spendlove is 2-3 this season with an 8.45 ERA. She has made just 11 appearances and pitched 25.2 innings.
COMING UP: SENIOR CELEBRATION
The Aggies return home for their final series in conference play as NM State gets set to host Seattle U in a special Senior Weekend. New Mexico State battles the Redhawks at 6 p.m. MT on Friday, April 27 and the squad follows the contest with a doubleheader to close out the series, beginning at 4 p.m.
