LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The first home game under the lights is set for this weekend at The 'Skew.

NM State looks to bounce back after its first setback of the young season, hosting Purdue Fort Wayne for a four-game series. The homestand, which includes a Saturday noon doubleheader, begins at 6 p.m. Friday and concludes with an 11 a.m. Sunday series finale.

At 8-1 overall, first-year head coach Mike Kirby's Aggies are one win shy of matching the best 10-game start (9-1) to a season in program history. NM State most recently won nine of its first 10 games during the 2011 campaign under skipper Rocky Ward.

WHERE TO WATCH
Friday's contest will be broadcast on FOX Sports Arizona Plus, FOX College Sports Pacific, FOX Sports Go App, Comcast New Mexico and WAC Digital.

Sunday's contest will be broadcast on FOX Sports Arizona, FOX College Sports Pacific, FOX Sports Go App, Comcast New Mexico and WAC Digital.

Adam Young (play-by-play) and former Aggie pitcher Matthew McHugh (color) have the call from Presley Askew Field.

PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m.
NM State: RHP Chance Hroch
PFW: RHP Cameron Boyd

Saturday, Feb. 29 at Noon (Game One)
NM State: RHP Lyle Hibbitts
PFW: RHP Chase Phelps

Saturday, Feb. 29 at 4 p.m. (Game Two)
NM State: RHP Chris Barraza
PFW: TBD

Sunday, March 1 at 11 a.m.
NM State: RHP Chris Jefferson
PFW: TBD

AMONG THE COUNTRY'S BEST
Junior infielder Nick Gonzales and sophomore outfielder Zerek Saenz are the driving forces behind the Aggie offense so far. Their early-season numbers stack up as some of the best in all of collegiate baseball

Hitting in the two-hole, Gonzales leads the nation in home runs (7), runs (18), RBI (26) and total bases (43) through the first two weeks of the season. The native of Vail, Ariz., extended his on-base streak to a nation-leading 75 games which dates back to his freshman campaign, in the loss at #8 Arizona State Tuesday night.

Saenz, meanwhile, is 11th in the country is hits (16) and eighth in runs (13). The Las Cruces native is hitting .421 with a .500 OBP this season.

SCOUTING THE MASTODONS
Purdue Fort Wayne enters this weekend's series with a 3-4 overall record.

The 'Dons have lost four straight after starting out with a perfect 3-0 mark. The squad picked up 30 hits in their three-game set at Miami (OH) last weekend, putting together a .273 batting average as a team. 

Sophomore catcher Dylan Stewart and junior infielder Jack Lang have powered the Dons' offense this season. Stewart is hitting .400 with a home run and five walks through seven games, while Lang is slashing .385/.448/.538 with five RBI on the year.

The Aggies are 4-0 all-time against Purdue Fort Wayne, as the two squads previously met in Las Cruces, N.M., during the 2011 campaign. NM State scored double-digit runs in all four games en route to sweeping the series.

For complete coverage of New Mexico State baseball, follow us on Twitter (@NMStateBaseball), Instagram (@NMStateBaseball) and like us on Facebook (NM State Baseball).

++ NM State ++