Aggie Softball Heads to Arizona
by NMSU Athletic
The Aggies, who currently own a record of 8-8, should swing into this tournament with lots of momentum from the 6-0 performance of last week. The Aggies open tournament play Friday, Feb. 29 with a double-header against Illinois-Chicago at 11:00 a.m. and No. 24 Virginia Tech at 1:00 p.m.
The Aggies are also facing
NMSU vs. Illinois-Chicago
This is the ninth meeting between the Illinois-Chicago and NMSU. Currently, the Flames own the all-time record 5-2. However the Aggies hold a 1-0 record over the Flames in 2008 after NMSU dominated UIC, 7-1, at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces Tournament, in Las Cruces, N.M., Feb. 15 through 17.
A Deeper Look at the Flames
The Flames currently own a record of 2-7 and have yet to play a home game in their windy and cold
NMSU vs. No. 24 Virginia Tech
This is the first meeting between the Aggies and the Hokies.
A Deeper Look at the Hokies
The Hokies currently hold a record on 9-4 on the season. Last weekend Tech hosted the Hokies United Memorial Invitational and posted a 3-1 record. The only team they fell to was No. 22 Robert Morris, 4-3, but downed Villanova, 4-1, Rider, 7-1, and Winthrop, 3-0. The Hokies open the Arizona Tournament against the Flames at 10:00 a.m. on Friday.
NMSU vs. Iowa State
The Aggies are looking to take control of the all-time series record in the seventh meeting between these two schools. Both teams hold three wins apiece and the last time they played each other was last season at the Marriot Houston Hobby Invitational, in Houston Texas when NMSU downed the Cyclones 4-0.
A Deeper Look at the Cyclones
The Cyclones are currently on a six-game winning streak and have only lost one game up to this point, holding a record of 8-1. This is the best start in the program’s history. Thier only loss was to North Dakota State during the opening weekend. Last weekend Iowa State posted a 6-0 record as they competed at the Chattanooga Challenge, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Cyclones open the Arizona Tournament against the host, No. 8 Arizona, Friday at 7:00 p.m.
NMSU vs. South Florida
This is the fifth meeting between these two squads and USF currently owns the all-time series 4-0 with the last meeting in 2002 when the Bulls snuck by the Aggies 10-9 at the Pepsi Classic in Tucson, Ariz.
A Deeper Look at the Bulls
The Bulls currently own a record of 8-5. Last weekend, at the Louiville Slugger Tournament, USF walked away with a record of 2-2. The Bulls fell to both Wright State and Wisconsin with a score of 1-2 , but beat Hofstra and Georgia Tech 1-0.
NMSU vs. No. 8 Arizona
This is the 54th meeting between these two squads and the Wildcats have a 39 game win advantage over the Aggies. The last meeting was in Tucson, Ariz., Feb. 6, 2005 when the Arizona beat NMSU 9-0 in five innings.
A Deeper Look into the Wildcats
UA currently owns a record of 6-4 and one of those losses comes from fellow WAC schools Nevada. Arizona, fresh off a 4-1 weekend in Palm Springs, will meet the Canadian National team in an exhibition doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27 two days before they play host to 15 games at the Hillenbrand Invitational at the Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium.
Aggies are leading the WAC in Stats
NMSU holds or is in a first-place tie, in seven out of the eight stat categories in the WAC. Senior Stephanie Herrera holds the league record in hits with 29 and stolen bases with 10 on 12 tries. Freshman Hoku Nohara, junior Kristi Randall and freshman Ashley Maroda all hold a four-way tie for first-place in doubles. Nohara is also in a four-way tie in the home run category with four this season and in total bases with 32.
The single category where the Aggies do not lead is runs batted in. However, junior Stacey Lien and Nohara are tied for second in the conference with 14 and Maroda is tied for third with 13.
Early Milestone Season for Rodolph
New Mexico State’s softball head coach Kathy Rodolph has reached two and is about to embark on a third milestone in her career. Over the weekend in the Troy Cox Classic, Rodolph reached her 300th colligate victory against Utah Valley with a 12-8 win. Then on Sunday, Feb. 24, Rodolph tied NMSU’s all-time coaches’ win-record with 108. She is one game away from being the winningest coach in the program’s history.
Nohara Grabs WAC Player of the Week
New Mexico State softball freshman first baseman Hoku Nohara has been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter of the Week for her efforts during the week of Feb. 18-24. This is the first career WAC Player of the Week honor for Nohara.
Four named to All-Tourney Team at Troy Cox Classic
The Aggies posted a perfect 5-0 record over the weekend and NMSU’s Nohara was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and three other Aggies, Herrera, Randall and Watson all earned spots on the all-tournament team.
Nohara finished the weekend going 8-for-13 in the box while hitting two home runs, a triple and a pair of doubles. She also scored four runs and had an impressive nine RBI.
Herrera led the Aggies over the weekend in the box with a batting average of .625, while recording a double, a RBI and scoring six runs, along with stealing a base.
Kristi Randall led the Aggies in the most at-bats over the weekend going 9-of-19 at the plate. She also recorded two home runs, which includes her first career grand slam during day two. Randall hit four doubles, had 10 RBI, and added seven runs of her own.
Watson was undefeated throughout the weekend, posting a solid 4-0 record. She recorded a solid 22 strikeouts in 21 innings of work and had an ERA of 3.00
3-peat of Troy Cox Champions
For the third consecutive year, the New Mexico State softball team was named the 2008 Troy Cox Classic Champions for posting a stellar 5-0 record over the weekend. The Aggies did play in six games throughout the entire week and were victorious in all, equaling out their overall record to 8-8. Besides beating a Big-12 school, Oklahoma State, the Aggies also posted a 17-4 victory over Indiana State. It was 20 years ago in Aggie history that NMSU scored that many runs against an opponent, March 12, 1988.
Aggies Handle UTEP, 7-3
NMSU softball dominated UTEP 7-3 during their first of two meetings of the season. The Aggies collected eight hits, including a homerun and two doubles and also tallied a season high eight walks on the night.
Freshman third baseman Ashley Maroda hit her second home run of her career against UTEP.
Herrera the Dirty Thief
New Mexico State senior Stephanie Herrera has stolen nine bases this season on 10 tries. Not only does she lead the team in this category, but she also leads the WAC with the next closes athlete recorded five.
Herrera Earns All-Tournament Team Status
Senior utility Stephanie Herrera was the lone Aggie to record all-tournament team status. She hit an impressive .500 for the weekend, was 9-for-18 from the plate and scored four runs. She also recorded five stolen bases on six tries throughout the tournament.
Freshman Seasoning Quickly at DI Level
New Mexico State softball freshman power-hitters Ashley Maroda and Hoku Nohara both hit their first home run wearing Crimson and White as the Aggies blew out the Flames of the University of Chicago-Illinois, 7-1.
Nohara added a second home run on day three of the tournament, while Maroda finished the weekend with two doubles and two runs scored along with five RBI.
Stepping Up to the Plate is Stacey Lien
Junior designated player Stacey Lien had a break-out Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces Tournament. She batted a solid 8-for-18 from the plate over the weekend and recorded a .444 batting average. She also had five RBI and scored a run, along with a triple and a double.
2008 Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces
The Hotel Encanto was an emotional roller coaster ride for the New Mexico State softball team as the Aggies fell in four of their five games over the weekend. On the second day of the tournament the Aggie picked up their largest winning margin of the season as they blew out the Flames of the University of Illinois-Chicago, 7-1.
In the first game, the Aggies lost to North Dakota State, 8-1, and then lost the second game to Colorado State, 9-6. On the final day of the tournament, the Aggies dropped two heartbreakers in both in the seventh inning. The first was to the UT- San Antonio, 5-4, and the second was against the UT- Arlington, 3-2.
NMSU Goes 1-4 in Palm Springs
The New Mexico State softball team competed against some of the best teams in the nation last weekend at the Cathedral City Kick Off, in Palm Springs, Calif. The tournament was highlighted with an upset against California, 3-2, during the second day of the tournament. The Aggies hold an overall record of 1-4, dropping games to No. 2 Texas A&M, 3-2, No. 18 Oregon State, 6-3, Portland State, 5-2 and Cal Poly, 6-3.
Aggies Upset CAL
For the second time in the history of the program the New Mexico State softball team tamed the Golden Bears of California, 3-2, in the second day of the Cathedral City Kick Off, in Palm Springs, Calif.
Leading the way offensively for the Aggies were the Randall sisters, freshman infielder Kylie Randall (Chula Vista, Calif.) and junior outfielder Kristi Randall (Chula Vista, Calif. ) who both hit monster doubles. Kylie Randall went 2-for-5 from the box and scored two runs, while Kristi Randall plated two and was 2-for-7.
In the circle, junior right-handed-pitcher, Kim Watson retired 11 batters, while only allowing two to score and seven Golden Bear hits.
NMSU Faces Multiple Powerhouses Early
The first Softball USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Preseason Poll was announced, Wednesday, Jan. 23 and even though the Aggies did not receive any votes, they sure have their work cut out for them. NMSU has slated seven teams who received top-25 status and all together 12 teams who accumulated votes.
Herrera Picked Preseason All-WAC
The Western Athletic Conference announced Tuesday, Jan. 22 that senior Stephanie Herrera was selected to the Preseason All-WAC Team as the utility, voted on by the coaches of the conference.
Herrera (Pecos, Texas) led the Aggies in 2007 with a .371 batting average, 31 runs scored, had 16 RBI’s while stealing 19 bases in 25 attempts on the year, good for second in the conference. Her 69 hits were the second most in Aggie history for a single season and it was the fourth most in the conference.
Aggies Picked Fourth
For the second year in a row, the NMSU softball squad was picked by the WAC conference to finish fourth in the conference behind Hawai’i, Fresno State and Nevada.
Hawai‘i edged out Fresno State with 36 points to the Bulldog’s 30 for the preseason crown. For the third-straight season, Nevada was picked to finish third with 26 points.
New Mexico State finished fourth with 20 points followed by San Jose State with 17 points. Utah State was picked to finish sixth with 10 points, while Louisiana Tech was picked to finish seventh with eight points.
U.S. National Team Coming to Las Cruces
The Aggies are going head-to-head with the US National Team, April 6 at 2:00 p.m. in Las Cruces, N.M. at the NMSU softball complex.
