LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The final home WAC series of the season is upon NM State baseball as the Aggies welcome Seattle U to The 'Skew. Not to fret, though, Aggie fans, NM State will host New Mexico and St. Thomas in a four-game, non-conference homestand to end the season.
In 2022, NM State and Seattle U split six meetings with the Redhawks taking two of three games in Las Cruces. The Aggies have won 27 of the 44 all-time meetings between the two programs. First pitch of the series will be thrown at 6:00 p.m. MT on Friday.
News and Notes
SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS
The Redhawks have posted a 15-26 record throughout the season, including an 11-10 record in WAC play. Last weekend, Seattle U took two of three games from Tarleton.
Hudson Shupe leads the Redhawks with a .331 batting average on 54 hits while Matt Boissoneault leads Seattle U with nine home runs.
HISTORY VERSUS SEATTLE U
In 44 previous meetings with Seattle U, NM State has won 27 meetings, good for a .614 winning percentage.
LAST MEETINGS
Throughout 2022, NM State and Seattle U met six times, splitting the season series at three games apiece.
In Las Cruces, Seattle U took two of three meetings from NM State, including a 13-12 thirteen inning marathon that lasted nearly five hours. The Aggies blanked the Redhawks 9-0 on Sunday, backed by 8.0 innings from now Atlanta Braves prospect
Ian Mejia.
KRUSH IT KEV
With eight home runs this season,
Kevin Jimenez has set a new career-high in long balls. The senior second baseman leads NM State in hits (45), runs batted in (32), home runs (8), and total bases (77).
FOR THE RECORD...
Infielder
Kevin Jimenez sits inside or near the top-ten in NM State school history for many offensive categories. With 54 career doubles, Jimenez needs just seven this season to become NM State's all-time two-bag leader.
WALK IT OUT
Kevin Jimenez has drawn 127 career walks - The third most in NM State history. Jimenez passed Chris Fanning (1988-91) on April 8 vs. California Baptist.
Jimenez sits 15 walks behind Richard Stout (2007-09; 142) to move into a tie for second place.
HIGH SCORING AFFAIRS
In the final two games of the weekend series, NM State and Sacramento State combined for 56 total runs. In Saturday's contest, the Aggies put together three touchdowns to beat down three field goals from the Hornets in a 21-9 ballgame. Sacramento State flipped the script on Sunday, winning 16-10.
WALK IT OFF
After the Aggies had not ended a game with a walk-off in over a year,
Damone Hale and
Preston Godfrey ended back-to-back games against Stephen F. Austin with a walk-off. On Friday, a three-run error after a fly ball by Hale ended the ballgame in run-rule fashion before giving way to Godfrey's two-run walk-off home run in the ninth inning on Saturday.
KEITH ZUNIGA'S PUNCH-OUT!!
In the three-game set against California Baptist, Zuniga's pitching staff struck out 36 hitters, including a season-high 15 strikeouts on Thursday. The mark is the new high for a series this season, surpassing 31 punch-outs against Bellarmine on Opening Weekend.
SIXTH INNING SPECIAL
When leading after six innings, the Aggies are 11-1 on the season. On the contrary, NM State is 0-28 when tied or trailing after the sixth.
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