RUSTON – The Diamond 'Dogs (29-22, 12-11 CUSA) are geared up for the final weekend of the regular season, looking ahead to facing the New Mexico State Aggies (22-29, 10-13 CUSA) at the Love Shack to close out the year.
 
Series Information
Date: May 15-17, 2025
Venue: J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park (Ruston, La.)
Time: 6 p.m. CT (Thursday) | 6 p.m. CT (Friday) | 12 p.m. CT (Saturday)
Watch: ESPN+
Radio: Sportstalk 97.7 FM / LA Tech Athletics app
Stats: LATechSports.com/stats
 
Series History
Series Record: 14-26 vs. New Mexico State
Last Meeting: May 5, 2024 (L,  6-12)
Streak: L2
 
The Aggies took two of three games from the Bulldogs in an offensively driven series played in Las Cruces in 2024. Tech hit 17 homers throughout the series with seven in Game 1, eight in Game 2 and two in the series finale. The 'Dogs handled New Mexico State with ease in the series opener, 18-4, before the Aggies captivated a thrilling comeback in the second game, scoring 12 runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to tie and send it into extras.
 
New Mexico State ultimately outlasted Tech, 16-15, in 13 innings before clinching the rubber game with a 12-6 win in the series finale.
 
LA Tech has struggled against the Aggies at home in recent history, winning just two of the last eight games played at the Love Shack since the 2011 season. The Aggies swept the Bulldogs at home in a four-game series in 2013 before the two squads split the series at two games apiece in 2011.
 
The Bulldogs have won two-straight entering the weekend—stealing the series finale at Jacksonville State, 11-8, and their final midweek contest at home against ULM, 7-4. Tech has struggled to start the month of May, losing their first five games of the month and have won just six of their last 16 games since clinching the series at Middle Tennessee on April 12.
 
Garrison Berkley has reached base safely in 11-straight games, the longest active streak on the team and is tied with Colton Coates for the longest streak of the season at 15 games. The Bulldog outfielder also carries a seven-game hitting streak, which is also the longest current streak for the 'Dogs and is Berkley's longest of the year thus far.
 
Sebastian Mexico still leads the team with a .310 average, 10 homers, 52 RBI, a .977 OPS and slugging .594 with 39 starts in 46 games played. He is the only Bulldog with double-digit homers and at least 40 RBI and is one of just seven CUSA hitters with 50 RBI this year.
 
Trey Hawsey remains among the CUSA top 10 for conference-only contests in slugging percentage (.617), OPS (1.044) and home runs (7). Will Safford's 10 sacrifice bunts are tied for the most overall in the league and is among the top 10 with three triples.
 
Brooks Roberson carries the eighth-best ERA at 4.06 and has the second-best opposing batting average with .210 in his first year of collegiate baseball. The righty is also top 10 in innings pitched, looking strikeouts, hits allowed and earned runs allowed. Blake Hooks' eight saves leads CUSA and is among the top 25 nationally, while Luke Cooley is top 10 in wins, strikeouts, looking strikeouts, and least home runs allowed.
 
Previewing the Aggies
New Mexico State enters the series with high stakes at clinching a spot in the CUSA Baseball Championship in Lynchburg, Virginia, needing just one win this weekend to secure a trip to the tournament. The Aggies currently sit in seventh in the CUSA standings at 10-13 behind FIU, with the Panthers holding the tiebreaker over New Mexico State.
 
The Aggies are 22-29 on the year and have lost their last seven games following a sweep at home over Middle Tennessee April 25-27. Following a 16-8 win over the Blue Raiders in the series finale, New Mexico State fell on the road in a midweek to #24 Arizona, 6-2, before suffering a two-game sweep to Kennesaw State after the second game of the series was canceled.
 
New Mexico State took another midweek loss on the road at Texas Tech, 13-6, before getting swept by Western Kentucky to conclude the home slate of their regular season. The Hilltoppers outscored the Aggies 41-11 in three games, including a 19-3 seven-inning run rule victory in Game 2 of the weekend.
 
Steve Solorzano has been one of the hot bats for New Mexico State's lineup this year, batting .341 with seven homers, which is tied with Joey Craig for the most on the team, 35 RBI, 14 doubles, a triple, 45 runs scored and five stolen bases on as many attempts. Brandon Forrester has been an efficient baserunner, having swiped 16 bags on 21 attempts while batting .335 with nine doubles, two triples, two homers and 22 RBI.
 
Mitch Namie is the only Aggie to have started in all 51 games for New Mexico State, batting .337 with 35 runs, 16 doubles, two triples, five homers and a team-best 40 RBI. He has drawn 28 walks and has four swipes on seven tries.
 
Jack Turner has been a mainstay as a starter on the mound for the Aggies, having started in all 10 of his appearances this season. He carries a 5.80 ERA through 54 1/3 innings, with 35 of his 48 runs allowed coming across as earned. He has fanned 39 batters while allowing 69 hits and 24 walks and leads the team with five wins.
 
Connor Wylde has been one of the other work horses for the Aggies pitching staff, having six starts in 14 appearances with an ERA of 7.71 through 56 full innings. He leads the team with 50 strikeouts and has allowed 48 earned runs on 71 hits and 23 walks.
 
Saul Soto, Ian Hoslett and Matthew Yarc are the only other pitchers for New Mexico State to have recorded at least 30 strikeouts this year. Soto is 4-2 with an ERA of 5.67, having started in four of his 16 appearances. He has fanned 38 batters while allowing 29 earned runs on 49 hits and 23 walks through 46 innings.
 
Hoslett is 2-4 on the year with three starts in 16 appearances. He carries an ERA of 6.37 with 32 strikeouts through 35 1/3 innings of work. Yarc is just 1-2 with an ERA of 7.32 and starts in six of his 15 outings. He has tossed 35 2/3 innings with 31 strikeouts and 29 earned runs on 42 hits and 12 walks.

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