LAS CRUCES, N.M. - NM State Softball is set for its final home series of the 2024 regular season. With the CUSA Championship looming just two weeks away on the same field, the Aggies are vying for positioning in the league tournament. This weekend, the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech roll into town, sitting just a game behind the Aggies in the CUSA standings. First pitch between NM State and LA Tech is set for Friday at 6:00 PM.
How to Follow
Who: LA Tech (27-17, 10-8 CUSA) at NM State (26-19, 11-7 CUSA)
Where: NM State Softball Complex - Las Cruces, N.M.
When: Friday, April 26 - Sunday, April 28 (Game 1 at 6:00 PM MT)
Live Stream: ESPN+ (Friday/Saturday)
Radio: 91.5 FM KRUX (Sunday)
Live Statistics: nmstatestats.com
All-Time Series Record: NM State leads 18-13
Last Meeting: NM State 3 @ LA Tech 0 (May 8, 2013 - WAC Tournament)
LAST TIME OUT
The Aggies spent last weekend in Virginia for a clash between the top seeds in Conference USA. Liberty hosted the Crimson & White, and the home team bookended the weekend with a pair of one-run victories. The Aggies took the midway match of the series with a 6-2 win in which they did not allow a run until the Flames were down to their final out of the contest. Desirae Spearman went seven innings in the circle and mashed two deep home runs to highlight the win. For her efforts, the El Paso product was awarded her fifth CUSA Freshman of the Week selection.
Dezianna Patmon and Jillian Taylor also recorded home runs in the series, including Taylor's solo shot to lead off the entire series. The senior center fielder continued her hot streak through the weekend, extending her career-best hitting streak to 11 games. Elsewhere, Devin Elam maintained her own hitting streak to a career-high nine games.
The Aggies also took care of New Mexico in Albuquerque in a midweek affair, winning 4-3. The third and final installment of the 2024 Battle of I-25 went to NM State, securing a season sweep of the Lobos, and their 19th win in the past 22 meetings.
PATMON POWER
The Aggies' first-ever CUSA win in program history came on Saturday, March 9. The benchmark victory was highlighted by one of the best individual performances by an Aggie in recent history as Dezianna Patmon finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate, including a grand slam to help produce six of the Aggies' nine runs. The six-RBI day for the transfer from North Carolina A&T marked the most RBIs by an Aggie in a single game since Nikki Butler recorded a half-dozen RBIs on April 16, 2021.
Patmon is leading the Aggies with 49 hits while ranking second with 87 total bases, 34 RBIs, home runs (9) and OPS (1.166) this season.
FRESHMAN PHENOM
Along with Patmon, freshman standout Desirae Spearman has been a shining star in the Aggie lineup. In just her first 32 games at the collegiate level, Spearman is maintaining a .386 batting average while pacing the Aggies in home runs (15), OPS (1.377), RBIs (35), total bases (88) and ranking third on the team in total hits (36) despite missing 13 of the Aggies' 45 games due to injury.
Additionally, the El Paso, Texas, native has been dominant in the circle. She has begun the season with a 8-2 record and 52 strikeouts while maintaining a 2.90 ERA in 12 appearances and 62.2 innings of work.
On Feb. 16, Spearman tossed a complete game, shutout victory over Nebraska when she gave up just one hit and led the Aggies to a 3-0 win. In the series finale versus UTEP, she went another 7.0 innings, punching out 12 Miners and securing a win in her first pitching appearance in 35 days.
Currently, Spearman is posting a team-best ERA, allowing just 54 hits and eight home runs. She is also tied for first in the conference and ranks 21st nationally with her 15 total offensive home runs despite missing nearly a third of the Aggies' games due to injury.
For her efforts, Spearman has been named CUSA Pitcher of the Week once and has earned five CUSA Freshman of the Week awards. On Thursday, April 25th, Spearman was named to the 2024 TUCCI/NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 25 list.
POWER IN THE OUTFIELD
When Spearman is not in the circle, she will regularly tend to left field. Again, the freshman with five CUSA weekly awards has proven to be a threat from anywhere. Joining her in the outfield are Jillian Taylor and Devin Elam.
Taylor and Elam have each been named CUSA Player of the Week this month, just 14 days apart. Taylor, the senior in center field, has started 42 of 45 games in center, tallying a .380 batting average to go with seven home runs, 19 extra-base hits, 49 hits and an OPS of 1.104. She is currently on an 11-game hitting streak, crushing her previous career-high mark of five games. The senior leads the entire conference with 44 runs scored on the campaign.
Devin Elam is one of the hottest hitters in the conference, as well as the country. The sophomore is traditionally in right field as of late, and was named Player of the Week on April 15. In CUSA games, she is batting .442, ranking fourth among batters. Elam is currently on a nine-game hitting streak, setting a new career high. At the plate, she has 36 hits, a .424 average and a 1.075 OPS on the season. The Long Beach, Calif. native now has 15 RBIs in her past 11 outings.
FEAR NONE
In February, the Aggies opened the annual Troy Cox Classic with a victory over Big Ten foe Nebraska to mark the program's first win over a Power Five program since the 2020 season when the Aggies defeated the same Nebraska program twice.
The following week, the Aggies added to their list of impressive early victories as they defeated (RV) Grand Canyon on Friday evening before knocking off Arizona State on Sunday morning to tally their second Power Five win of the season and first win over a Pac-12 program since 2020.
NEW YEAR, NEW CONFERENCE
In 2023, the Aggies finished 21-25 overall, with a 10-14 mark in WAC play. On July 1, 2023, NM State joined Conference USA, and will be a first-year member of the league in 2024. Also new to the conference are Jax State (ASUN), Liberty (ASUN) and Sam Houston (WAC). FIU, LA Tech, Middle Tennessee, UTEP and Western Kentucky are the five returning members of the conference.
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
NM State Softball played its first season in 1975. Now, in 2024, the Aggies entered season No. 50, with 1,144 wins and a much loftier reputation. The program was the class of the WAC for over a decade, earning six regular-season crowns and four conference tournament championships. Softball was NM State's second women's team sport and has brought 10 championship trophies home to Las Cruces. This May, the Aggies will look to win the CUSA Tournament Championship on their home soil.
LEGENDARY STATUS
Entering her 21st season as the Aggies' leader, Head Coach Kathy Rodolph is already easily the winningest coach in program history. Before Rodolph, the program had not won a championship (regular-season or tournament). Under her direction, the Aggies have claimed 10 pieces of hardware, and boast a 604-524 record. Making stops at El Paso CC and Angelo State before coming to Las Cruces, Rodolph has an individual mark of 797-619 as a head coach. At NM State, she has recruited and coached 17 NFCA All-Region members and eight WAC Player of the Year winners.
With their 20th win against San Diego on March 30, the Aggies have won 20 or more games in 18 seasons under Rodolph. The 21st-year head coach became the first coach in program history to surpass 600 wins with NM State after a walk-off three-run home run gave the Aggies a 9-6 win over FIU on Friday, April 12.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
After not seeing action in all of 2023 due to injury, Kayla Lunar became the only Aggie to start each of the first 45 games in 2024. The Alamogordo High School product has been the model of consistency, appearing at third base in every starting lineup this season. With the bat this season, Lunar has 14 RBIs across 26 hits, including six extra-base knocks and a no-doubt home run versus UTEP on March 23. The only other Aggie to appear in all 45 contests this season is Dezianna Patmon, who has started 39 games as the designated player.
BEST OF THE BEST
In the program's first year in a new conference, two Aggies have already stood out among the league. Last month, CUSA unveiled its Preseason All-Conference Team, highlighted by Riley Carley and Kendal Lunar. The pair of Aggies each put forth stellar campaigns in 2023 and will look to lead their team into new territory in 2024.
Riley Carley started all 44 games she appeared in last season, leading the team with 16 home runs and 14 walks. In her junior year, she ranked second among all Aggies in RBIs (30), batting average (.346), slugging percentage (.750) and OPS (1.012). Carley was named to the All-WAC Second Team in 2023.
As a true freshman, Kendal Lunar made quite the impression in 2023. The first-year Aggie posted six home runs and 20 RBIs with an OPS of .870. Starting 38 games in total, including each of the final 30 a season ago, Lunar is poised for a productive 2024 campaign behind the plate as a sophomore, and was selected to the CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team accordingly.
ON DECK
After their final home series, the Aggies will play one more regular-season stint at Middle Tennessee. NM State will visit the Blue Raiders for a three-game set to prepare for the CUSA Tournament. The weekend series will begin Friday, May 3, with first pitch scheduled for 5:00 PM MT.
For complete coverage of NM State Softball during the 2024 season, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of the Aggies – and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Softball), Twitter (@NMStateSoftball) and Instagram (@NMStateSoftball).
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