NM State (6-21, 1-5 WAC) vs. Utah Valley (11-13, 2-4 WAC)
Friday, April 1, 6 p.m. | Saturday, April 2, 4 p.m.
NM State Softball Complex | Las Cruces, N.M.
Game 1: ESPN+ | Bally Sports Arizona Extra (Tape Delay) | Comcast NM | Live Stats
Game 2: WACsports.com/watch | Live Stats
Game 3: WACsports.com/watch | Live Stats
NM State Game Notes | Utah Valley Game Notes
First Pitch
NM State continues its stretch of games versus conference opponents as they welcome Utah Valley on Friday, April 1-2. After dropping their last six, the Aggies will look to get back into the win column against a team they have historically dominated - carrying a 22-4 record against the Wolverines.
NM State will take on UVU in a single game on Friday that is scheduled to get underway at approximately 6 p.m. The Aggies and Wolverines will then retake the field for a doubleheader on Saturday with the opener set to start at 4 p.m.
Where to Watch
The first of the three-game series in which the Aggies are playing host will be featured on ESPN+ and Comcast New Mexico while being presented on tape delay on Bally Sports Arizona Extra. Saturday's doubleheader will then be featured on WACSports.com/watch with live stats of all three matches available here.
Legend in the Dugout
Kathy Rodolph has had a remarkable career as the head coach of the Aggies. In her 19th year at the helm, Rodolph is the winningest coach in NM State history with a 550-462 record. She's led the team to four WAC Tournament Championships and six WAC Regular Season Championships, including last season when the team went 14-4 in conference play. She is also a five-time WAC Coach of the Year. She has helped the Aggies capture the last eight WAC player of the year awards and back-to-back WAC Freshman of the year awards. Additionally, Rodolph has helped 17 players earn NFCA All-Regional Team honors.
Aggie Rundown
Prior to WAC play, the Aggies' struggles were somewhat reflective of the level of competition they faced as their schedule has featured six games versus Power Five opponents, two teams ranked inside the top-25 and three squads that participated in the NCAA Softball Tournament one season ago.
In their series with California Baptist, the Aggies were led by a four-hit weekend from Riley Carley that included three RBIs to pace NM State. Jillian Taylor continued her hot streak as she went 5-for-11 at the plate to push her hitting streak to 14 games. Additionally, Kayla Bowen, Hailey Tanori, Maya Martinez, Jayleen Burton, Ramsay Lopez and Paige Knight all recorded multiple hits over the three-game stretch.
Statistically Speaking
Amidst her hit streak, Jillian Taylor has quickly become one of the WAC's top hitters as her batting average of .417 ranks third in the league. Taylor's current streak also ties her for the second longest Aggie hit streak since 2015 with only Hailey Tanori (14 games in 2021) and Victoria Castro (15 games in 2018) posting similar numbers.
Meanwhile, Ramsay Lopez's performance at the plate also has her among the league's best - ranking first in slugging percentage (.773) and tied for third in on-base percentage (.500). Kayla Bowen's seven doubles also tie her for ninth-most in the league thus far.
As a team, the Aggies' 27 home runs are good for third in the WAC while their 122 RBIs are fifth-most in the league. Through 27 games, the Aggies are second in slugging percentage (.479), fourth in on-base percentage (.375) and fourth in batting average (.307).
Taylor on a Tear
As of late, sophomore utility player Jillian Taylor has been the Aggie with the hottest bat.
She is currently riding an 14-game hit streak with the last time she went without a hit being March 6 versus then No. 5 Washington. During her streak, she has five multi-hit games, four doubles and a pair of home runs.
In the 18 games this season in which Taylor has registered two at-bats or more, Taylor has only failed to tally a hit in one game.
After being in and out of the lineup for the first six games, Taylor has been a staple in the starting lineup since March 5. In 24 games this season, the Spokane, Wash., native has posted a batting average of .417 - a team-best among hitters with at least 25 at-bats.
Scouting Utah Valley
The Wolverines come into Las Cruces with an 11-13 overall record and a 2-4 conference record, which is good for eighth in the WAC standings. It hasn't been the most ideal ten-game stretch for them either, winning just four of the last ten games. Their last series was against Seattle U, which saw the Redhawks take the rubber match of the three-game set by a final score of 16-7. The Wolverines were scheduled to play in-state foe Utah on Tuesday (3/29). However, the match was postponed due to inclement weather in Salt Lake City.
Despite the lack of recent success, the Wolverines still come into the series ranked second in the conference as a team in batting average (.317), third in on-base percentage (.384) and fourth in slugging percentage (.451). They're also tied for sixth in home runs with Sam Houston (19) and they lead the conference in fewest strikeouts (116).
Madison Carr is arguably the Wolverines' best hitter coming into the weekend with a whopping .420/.457/.420 slash line. Her batting average is good for second-highest in the WAC, just ahead of Aggie utility player Jillian Taylor (.417). Carr also ranks second in total hits (37), 14th in runs (20), and she can show off her wheels a little too, ranking seventh in stolen bases (8).
The Wolverine pitching is the one area that has been a struggle for them. Utah Valley has the second-highest ERA (5.99) among WAC schools. The Aggies currently have the highest at (10.76). The Wolverines also have given up the fourth-most hits (240), the third-most runs (163) and home runs (27) to opposing hitters. Yet, despite the rocky pitching numbers, they still lead the conference in fewest walks allowed (52).
History vs. Utah Valley
Historically, the Aggies have dominated the Wolverines on the diamond, winning 22 of the 26 matchups. The last matchup came in May of last year when the two programs faced off twice in the WAC Tournament. One time in the opening round and then later in the semi-final. The Wolverines took the first match up by a final score of 6-5. The Aggies would then go on to beat Utah Valley 4-3 to advance to the WAC Championship Game, where they would eventually fall to Seattle U, 7-5.
++NM State++
