LAS CRUCES, N.M. – New Mexico State softball travels for a series at California Baptist and a single game at Loyola Marymount. The Aggies face the Western Athletic Conference newcomers, CBU, in a doubleheader on Friday, April 12 beginning at 1 p.m. MT. NM State faces the Lancers in a second doubleheader on Saturday, April 13, starting at 11 a.m. The game with the Lions is set for 2 p.m. on Monday April. 15.

Fans can watch the games against CBU on the WAC Digital Network. The contest against the Lions can be viewed on the LMU Athletics YouTube page.

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HORTON HITS A BOOM
Nationally, Kelsey Horton ranks second in career home runs (63), third in career total bases (469), fifth in RBI (190), seventh for runs score (190) and 13th for slugging percentage (.765).

The senior continues to climb in the NM State career record books. The slugger is record holder for total bases. She also sits in second for home runs, sacrifice flies (11), doubles (42) and runs scored while also ranking third for RBI and fourth for putouts (802).

WHERE IN THE WAC
NM State ranks first in the WAC for home runs (36), homers per game (1.06), walks per game (3.35) and strikeouts thrown per game (6.39). Additionally, the squad is second in the league for slugging percentage (.465), batters struck out (201) and batters stuck out looking (51). For WAC games alone, New Mexico State is first for walks per game (3.67) while also ranking second for batting average (.290), on base percentage (.384), homers per game (0.83), earned run average (2.19), opposing batting average (.242) and batters struck out (50).

Individually, Victoria Castro leads the league in slugging percentage (.719), on base percentage (.492), walks (22), and doubles (11). Samaria Diaz ranks first in the league for strikeouts (125) while placing second for batters struck out looking (25) and saves (3). In conference-only games, Nikki Butler leads the league with a .550 batting average and a .591 on base percentage. Diaz leads the WAC in strikeouts (38) and is second in the conference for ERA (0.58) and opposing batting average (.154).

WEEKLY WARRIORS
NM State swept the WAC weekly honors with Mya Felder earning her first ever hitter of the week award while Diaz brought home her second pitcher of the week accolade this season.

Felder hit .571 with a 1.571 slugging percentage and a .625 on-base percentage in five games last week. She was 8-of-14 on the week with six extra-base hits, two doubles and four home runs. The freshman scored six runs and had nine RBIs when the Aggies posted a 4-1 record. Felder hit a home run in each of NM State's run-rule victories over New Mexico. She also had a pair of homers in the series finale against Utah Valley when she went 3-for-3 with two RBIs to help New Mexico State clinch the series.

Diaz went 3-0 with a 0.30 ERA in four appearances last week. She posted a pair of complete-game shutouts and struck out 38 batters over 23.0 innings. Against New Mexico, Diaz pitched a perfect game through five innings before allowing the lone hit of the contest. She tied her career high for strikeouts in the outing with 13. During the series opener against Utah Valley, the junior pitched a complete game, allowing no runs on six hits while striking out 10. In the first game of the doubleheader against the Wolverines on Saturday, she pitched 3.0 innings in relief and did not give up a hit while striking out four. Diaz then threw a complete game in the series finale, striking out 11 and allowing her first and only run of the weekend during the final inning.

LAST TIME OUT
The Aggies went 2-1 when the team hosted Utah Valley for a conference series. Diaz picked up both victories during the series, with the 1-0 shutout in the opener and the 6-1 win in the finale.

Castro had the RBI single in the first contest of the series, giving the Aggies the victory. During the final game of the series, Felder went 3-for-3 with a pair of homers. Butler also went 3-for-3 with a double and a home run.

LOOKING AT THE LANCERS
California Baptist enters the week with a 16-23 overall record and at 3-6 during the program's first season in the WAC. As a team, the Lancers are batting .255 and the pitching staff holds a 3.26 ERA.

In the circle, Kellye Springstead leads the league in innings pitched (158.2), appearances (28), and batters struck out looking (40). The senior posts a squad-best 2.42 ERA with 112 strikeouts. Halle Rosario leads CBU with a .345 batting average and a .413 on-base percentage. She has 39 hits during her senior campaign with four doubles and four homers.

SCOUTING THE LIONS
Loyola Marymount comes into the week with at 24-16 with a 1-2 record in West Coast Conference play. As a team, the Lions are batting .246 while the pitchers hold a 3.14 ERA.

Hannah Bandimere paces the LMU pitchers with a 2.52 ERA during her 107.1 innings pitched. Samantha Manti follows closely behind with a 2.92 ERA in her 95.2 innings. She also leads the squad with 89 strikeouts. Offensively, Molly Grumbo holds a team-beat .473 slugging percentage with four home runs while Andrea Gonzalez leads the Lions with a .305 batting average.

COMING UP: HOME SWEET HOME
Following the road trip to the Golden State, the Aggies return home to host Grand Canyon for a three-game series. NM State battles the Lopes in the series opener on Friday, April 19 at 6 p.m. before facing off in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 20 with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.