LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State baseball team gets set for a neutral site game against No. 11 Texas Tech on Tuesday, April 9, at 6 p.m. MT in Midland, Texas at Security Bank Ballpark, home of the Oakland Athletics Double-A affiliate Midland Rockhounds. This is the second meeting of the year between the Aggies and Rockhounds as the Crimson & White fell on the road to the nationally-ranked squad in Lubbock, Texas back on February 26.
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LISTEN UP!
For the midweek contest, fans can listen live to the action with Adam Young handling the play-by-play that can be heard on 99.5 FM Zia Country or through the
TuneIn app on any phone or tablet.
TAKING A LOOK AT TEXAS TECH
No. 11 Texas Tech enters the midweek contest holding a 21-9 overall record with an 0-2 mark in neutral site games. Last week the Red Raiders went 3-2 with a 2-1 weekend series win over Kansas and a 1-1 series split with NM State rival New Mexico up in Albuquerque on April 2-3.
Offensively, the Red Raiders are hitting .309 as a team with 109 extra-base hits, including 31 home runs, and 251 runs scored through 30 games. Texas Tech's offense ranks in the top-25 nationally in multiple categories such as seventh in scoring (8.4), ninth in on-base percentage (.414), 10
th in the previously mentioned batting average and base on balls (185), 14
th in runs scored, 11
th in slugging percentage (.483) and 21
st in triples (12).
A strong offensive output features six regular starters for the Red Raiders batting above .300, led by Brian Klein who posts a team-high .382 batting average in 110 at-bats. The offense also turns to slugger Cameron Warren who has a team-leading eight home runs and 40 runs batted in.
On the mound, the Red Raiders pitching staff has combined for a 4.23 earned run average with a .260 opposing batting average that has seen the TTU staff allow 71 extra-base hits and 151 runs scored. The Red Raider pitchers have also combined for 251 strikeouts and just 125 walks. A strong defense behind the TTU hurlers has helped the nationally-ranked squad's success this season with the team sitting at 17
th in the NCAA in double plays turned (29).
IN THE NATION
30 games into the season the Aggies currently rank in the top-20 nationally in 13 categories, including seven NCAA-leading statistics:
| NM State (Rk) |
Category |
NCAA |
| .370 (1st) |
Batting Average |
.370 |
| 395 (1st) |
Hits |
395 |
| 73 (1st) |
Hit by Pitch |
73 |
| .484 (1st) |
On-Base % |
.484 |
| 354 (1st) |
Runs |
354 |
| 11.8 (1st) |
Scoring |
11.8 |
| .625 (1st) |
Slugging % |
.625 |
| 18 (2nd) |
Triples |
20 |
| 55 (2nd) |
Home Runs |
56 |
| 72 (6th) |
Doubles |
87 |
| 179 (16th) |
Base On Balls |
202 |
| .979 (22nd) |
Fielding Percentage |
.983 |
| .733 (23rd) |
W/L Pct. |
.879 |
LAST TIME OUT
This past weekend NM State hosted Western Athletic Conference rival Grand Canyon for a three-game series at Presley Askew Field, April 5-7. After dropping the series opener, the Aggies battled back with a pair of decisive wins in games two and three to secure the series victory over the Lopes, 2-1.
The New Mexico State baseball team opened the three-game weekend series against WAC foe Grand Canyon on Friday night at Presley Askew Field. After tying the game up in the fifth, the Aggies lost the lead in the next frame and could not mount a late comeback falling to the Lopes in the series opener, 7-4.
In game two, the Aggies were looking for a bounce back win to even the series up. After falling behind by four runs, the Crimson & White battled back with four scoring innings, including three multi-run frames, on the way to a pivotal 9-4 victory over the Lopes.
Then in the series finale, NM State was looking to secure the series victory over GCU. Carrying a tie ballgame into the seventh, the Aggies added seven runs over two innings to lead the team to a 9-2 series finale win and 2-1 series victory over the Lopes.
UP NEXT
Following the midweek clash with No. 10 Texas Tech, the New Mexico State baseball squad returns home for another Western Athletic Conference weekend series when the team welcomes Northern Colorado to Presley Askew Field, April 12-14.
