LAS CRUCES, N.M. - After a week off from WAC play, the NM State softball team (18-18, 3-3) returns to conference play with a series against Tarleton State (14-25, 3-3) on Friday and Saturday at the NM State Softball Complex. Action will begin Friday with a doubleheader at 3 p.m. The series will conclude on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Where to Watch
There are several ways fans can watch this weekend's games. All three games will be streamed live on the WAC Digital Network. Comcast New Mexico and the Bally Sports App will carry game one of Friday's doubleheader live on their respective channels. Bally Sports Arizona will also air the first game of Friday at 11:30 p.m. on Friday night. Fox College Sports Pacific will also air the game on a tape delay at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

Going Through the Gauntlet
The NM State Aggies faced one of the toughest starts in program history. In the first 13 games, the Aggies faced a nationally-ranked opponent in six of those games. This is the only time in program history that the Aggies will have played six games against nationally-ranked opponents in its first 13 games of the year. In 2018, the Aggies opened up the season with five ranked opponents in its first 12 games. The Aggies also took on No. 8 Arizona last weekend. The Aggies dropped both games to the Wildcats

Late Inning Magic
The Aggies have played a staggering seven extra inning contests so far in 2021 and are 4-3 in those games. The Aggies have had three walk-off wins this season. The Aggies' most recent walk-off victory came last Friday against Grand Canyon when Maya Martinez hit a three-run home run with two outs to give the Aggies the 8-6 win. The Aggies are 11-5 in games decided by two runs or less this season.

Aggie Rundown
The Aggies returned its top five hitters from the 2020 season, and they have all shined so far in the 2021 season.

Matalasi Faapito continues to have a terrific season, as she leads the conference  with a .429 batting average, 11 home runs, a .838 slugging percentage and a .500 on-base percentage. Faapito has recorded a hit in 24 out of the last 26 games and is on a 13-game hitting streak.

Slap hitter Hailey Tanori continues to be one of the most consistent Aggies in the batter's box, as she has recorded a hit in 29 out of the Aggies 34 games this season. Tanori also leads the team with 12 steals.

Junior Kayla Bowen has been a nice surprise for the Aggies, as she is hitting .293 on the year with six home runs and a team-high 28 RBIs.

Redshirt senior Nikki Butler usually finds her way on base, but it may not be in the most conventional way. Butler is well on her way to break her own single-season hit-by-pitch record. Butler set the record in 2018, as she was hit 18 times, and so far in 2021, she's been hit 14 times. Butler is hitting .278 on the year with two home runs and 17 RBIs.

After a slow start to the season, Ramsay Lopez has found her groove in the batter's box in the last 13 games. Lopez has recorded a hit in 12 out of the last 13 games. Lopez is hitting .250 with seven home runs and 14 RBIs.

In the circle, the Aggies are led by Felicia De La Torre. De La Torre has an ERA of 4.03 and has struck out 75 batters. Faapito has also done well in the circle with a 4.19 ERA while striking out 39 batters.

Fountain of Youth
Out of the 23 players, 18 are either freshman or redshirt freshman. The Aggies have just two seniors in Keala Brown and Nikki Butler on the roster. The Aggies brought in 10 newcomers with several of them making an immediate impact for the Aggies.

The Aggies have gotten solid production from several true freshmen most notably Jayleen Burton who is hitting .303 in 33 at-bats. Audrey Shebloski has been a consistent starter for the Aggies at shortstop and is hitting .170 with five RBIs.

Antuanett Dean, Kendra Levesque, Brianna Gallegos and Jillian Taylor have also played key roles for the Aggies.

Scouting the Texans
Tarleton State comes into its matchup with the Aggies 14-25 on the year but are coming off a 2-1 series win over California Baptist last weekend. The Texans are led by Bailee Riggs who is hitting .333 on the year. The Texans get its power from Georgia Capell who has hit six home runs on the year and has driven in 17 runs. In the circle, the Texans are led by former WAC Pitcher of the Week Tristan Bridges. Bridges has an ERA of 4.53 with 69 strikeouts.

Last Time Out
The Aggies got a unique opportunity last weekend, as they traveled to Tucson, Ariz., for the Bear Down Fiesta. The Aggies faced Team Mexico twice and No. 8 Arizona twice. The Aggies gave solid efforts in all four games but eventually fell in each of them.

Up Next
The Aggies will be back on the road next week when they head to St. George, Utah, to face Dixie State. The teams will play a doubleheader on Friday before wrapping up the series on Saturday. All games will be streamed live on the WAC Digital Network.

Follow Along
For updates throughout the season, follow the Aggies on Twitter (@NMStateSoftball), Instagram (@nmstatesoftball) and Facebook (NM State Softball).

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