LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State baseball team is set for a midweek matinee with No. 21 Texas Tech this Tuesday, Feb. 21, on Dan Law Field at Rip Griffin Park. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
 
Geoff Haxton will have the call for Tuesday's contest while Jamie Lent serves as the analyst on the live-stream for Texas Tech.
 
Tuesday's match-up will be the 62nd meeting between the two teams with NM State trailing the all-time series 44-17. Both teams will have a staff day on the mound after playing four games over the weekend.
 
GET YOUR SEASON TICKETS NOW!
With the start of the 2017 season tickets, Aggie fans can be a part of the action for all 23 home games (including three double-headers) for just $100 per seat. Season tickets will guarantee fans a seat in the reserved section of 104 behind home plate. Fans can purchase 2017 Aggie baseball season tickets by going to the Pan American Center ticket office or by calling 575-646-1420.
 
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
This weekend's series against Mount Saint Mary's features baseball bingo night on Friday followed by "Dollar Dogs" Sunday. In addition, kids will get a chance to run the bases postgame on Sunday as well.
 
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
In its following home series against Yale (March 3-5), kids that play in the Las Cruces Youth Baseball Association will gain free admission to the series opener on Friday, March 3. For Saturday's, March 3, doubleheader, all fans in attendance can purchase $1 ice cream sandwiches followed by the traditional $1 hot dog Sunday special.
 
BORDERLAND BASH
New Mexico State is set to return to Southwest University Park, home of the El Paso Chihuahuas, once again to take on Battle of I-25 rival New Mexico. This year's rivalry game is set for Tuesday, March 7, with a first pitch slated for 6:30 p.m.
 
Fans can purchase tickets by calling the Pan American Center ticket office at 575-646-1420. Organizations and teams looking to purchase group tickets can contact Nicole Gomez by email at nicolemg@nmsu.edu or via phone at 575-646-8050.
 
LISTEN UP!
Aggie fans that can't make it to the game can listen to Adam Young (@youngpbp) all weekend on 91.5 FM KRUX. Fans can also listen to the game live with their mobile or tablet device on the TuneIn app for free by searching KRUX.
 
WHERE TO WATCH
Aggie fans can watch a live stream of Tuesday's tilt against the Red Raiders by going to www.TexasTech.com/Watch. However, fans will have to purchase a subscription pass for the day to watch.
 
SCOUTING THE RED RAIDERS
Texas Tech is coming of a 47-20 campaign in 2016, good for the third best finish in program history. The team finished first in the Big 12 with a 19-5 record, and also won the conference championship. Head coach Tim Tadlock and the Red Raiders have now advanced to the College World Series twice in the last three years. While in Omaha last season, the TTU recorded their first CWS victory in program history after defeating No. 1 Florida, 3-2, in an elimination game. 
 
Texas Tech is returning five position players and top pitcher from last season, Davis Martin, who compiled a 10-1 record with 61 strikeouts and a 2.53 earned run average over 89.1 innings. The Red Raiders also bring in 10 new position players and six new pitchers to their roster this season after losing 14 players, nine whom were selected in last year's MLB Draft.
 
On the offensive side of the ball, Texas Tech is led by junior center fielder Tanner Gardner who earned American Baseball Coaches Association Second-Team All-American honors in 2016. The then-sophomore led the team with a .379 batting average, 89 hits, 19 doubles, six triples and three home runs.
 
This season, Texas Tech sits at 3-1 after sweeping Western Illinois on opening weekend and splitting the series with Mississippi State. After dominating WIU 15-1 and 13-5 on Feb. 17 and 18, respectively, the Red Raiders then played two tight contests against the MSU Bulldogs. After taking the first contest in Starkville, Miss., 5-2, the Red Raiders dropped the contest on Sunday, 8-5.
 
This will be the 62nd meeting in program history between NM State and Texas Tech, as the Aggies trail in the all-time series 44-17. Last season saw the Aggies split the season series, winning the first contest in Lubbock, 7-6, before dropping the second game 14-2.
 
THERE'S A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
• #1 Marcus Still – Recorded his first hit in Division I on Feb. 17 vs. Bryant.
• #6 David Bellamy – Made his Division I debut as pinch-hitter on Feb. 17 vs. Bryant.
• #19 Chance Hroch – Made his first appearance on the mound for the Aggies on Feb. 17 vs. Bryant.
• #28 Jonathan Groff – Started in his first career Division I game on Feb. 17 vs. Bryant.
• #33 Keaton Graf – Made his first Division I appearance on the mound in the second game of the doubleheader vs. Bryant on Feb. 18.
• #35 Brian Kiser – Debuted as a pinch-runner in his first career Division I game vs. Bryant on Feb. 17.
• #36 Joey Ortiz – Recorded his first RBI as an Aggie in the first game of the doubleheader vs. Bryant on Feb.18. Then had his first hit on Feb. 19 vs. Bryant.
• #37 Joseph Standley – Made his first collegiate appearance as a reliever on Feb. 17 vs. Bryant. Also recorded his first win in the second game of the doubleheader vs. Bryant on Feb. 18
• #39 Matthew Perea – Made his first Division I appearance in relief on Feb. 17 vs. Bryant.
• #44 Cooper Williams – Had his first collegiate at-bat in the first game of the doubleheader vs. Bryant on Feb. 18. Then, recorded his first hit in the second game of the doubleheader that day.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Aggies split its opening weekend four-game series against a strong Bryant baseball team that went 47-12 in 2016 – including its third NCAA Tournament appearance in four years.
 
On opening night, NM State had JUCO transfer Jonathan Groff on the mound against a highly-touted opposing pitcher James Karinchak. A ground-rule double in the second inning by L.J. Hatch scored the first run of the game and gave the Aggies a 1-0 lead. NM State held the lead until Bryant put up four runs in the top of the fifth and never looked back to take the series opening win, 6-3.
 
Saturday's twin-bill between NM State and Bryant saw the Bulldogs take the afternoon game behind a seven-run fifth inning. Although the Aggies were able to score four runs in the bottom half of the sixth, Bryant posted five runs in the sixth and seventh innings and took the second game 13-7.
 
The night cap saw each team put up runs in the first inning as NM State led Bryant 2-1 through the first frame. However, a pitching duel transpired after that inning as each team was held scoreless until the sixth. With the Aggies on top 3-1, Bryant hit a home run with two men on to presumably go ahead 4-3. However, the Bryant batter was ruled out after he overran his teammate while rounding the bases and left the game knotted at three. The Aggies took advantage of the mistake when Dan Hetzel knocked in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly. From there, the Aggie pitchers held the Bulldogs bats quiet to give NM State its first victory of 2017, 4-3.
 
The Aggie bats came alive in the series finale Sunday afternoon in a very lop-sided affair in favor of NM State 20-7. After going down 2-0 early, NM State spotted eight runs on only two hits in the bottom of the second. Dan Hetzel, Mason Fishback and Brent Sakurai each recorded their first home run of the season in a game that was not short of offensive production. The Aggie offense produced 20 runs in a 20-7 win, the most runs manufactured by the team in a single-game since they defeated New Mexico 22-8 back on May 5, 2015. Along with great at-bats, NM State saw great play from their starting pitcher, Marcel Renteria, who threw six-inning with five strikeouts.
 
UP NEXT
NM State returns home after the midweek matinee with No. 21 Texas Tech to host another Northeast Conference foe in Mount Saint Mary's.