Courtesy: New Mexico State University           Release: 09/29/2009

 

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State softball team opens the 2009-10 fall season with a double header against Central Arizona College Saturday, Oct. 3, at the NM State Softball Complex, in Las Cruces, N.M.

The first game of the twin bill is slated for 2 p.m. and the second is scheduled at 4 p.m.

“We expect we’re going to compete and we’re going to use this to evaluate the team,” head coach Kathy Rodolph said.

The Aggies are coming off a powerful offensive 2008-09 season that was capped off with the team leading the nation in batting average (.341). NM State outranked Arizona, Florida, Mississippi Valley and Arizona State, who were all in the top five.

NM State also ranked seventh in scoring (6.09) and slugging percentage (.543), and 10th in home runs per game (1.26) in the nation.

Last season, sophomore Tiare Jennings (Turlock, Calif.) ranked sixth in the nation in RBIs (61), 11th in home runs (17), 13th in home runs per game (.131) and 20th in slugging percentage (.779).

Junior Hoku Nohara (Waimanalo, Hawai’i) finished the season ranked 17th in the nation in batting average (.429) and 19th in on-base percentage (.527).

“We have a really strong offense and I have high expectations for this team,” Rodolph said.

In the circle, the Aggies will be relying on pitchers Torrey Schroeder (Clovis, Calif.), a senior transfer from Texas and Alex Villalobos (Escondido, Calif.), a junior transfer from Oklahoma State, as well as sophomores Kelsey Schueler (Clovis, Calif.), Sydney Williard (Keller, Texas) and freshmen Alex Newman (Rio Linda, Calif.) and Carissa Theis (San Jose, Calif.).

Leading the team will be seniors Schroeder, infielder Ali Baumhover (Gilbert, Ariz.) and outfielder Angie Ortega (Vado, N.M.).

Other additions to the program include utility players Lauren Morizi (La Jolla, Calif.), Tehani Kaaihue (Kapolei, Hawai’i) and Teresa Conrad (Los Angeles, Calif.), outfielder Amber Olive (Simi Valley, Calif.) and infielder Kristi Covarrubia (Las Cruces, N.M.).

The Aggies are carrying the largest team in the six seasons Rodolph has coached the team with 24 players on the roster for the fall.

“With the kind of success we’ve had, we have been able to bring in better recruits,” Rodolph said.

NM State will play its next two games in a double header against Midland College at home Sunday, Oct. 4, with the first game beginning at 1 p.m. Also, the Aggies will play a double header at home against Eastern Arizona, Sunday, Oct. 11, and against Western New Mexico Saturday, Oct. 31, with the first game beginning at 1 p.m. both days.