http://www.lcsun-news.com/artman/pub...le_15508.shtml
Aggie baseball hosts nationally-ranked Cajuns
By Felix Chavez/Assistant Sports Editor
May 6, 2005, 12:01 am
In each of the past two years, the New Mexico State Aggies have found themselves in the month of May with a chance for a regular season Sun Belt Conference title.
In each of the past two years, the Aggie baseball team has also fell victim to a series sweep by South Alabama, sending out the window any chance of a league title.
This year, the Aggies (24-20, 9-6 Sun Belt) again find themselves again in a position to stay alive for a conference crown begining this afternoon as they open a three-game home series with nationally ranked and Sun Belt leading Louisiana-Lafayette (38-9, 11-4 Sun Belt).
“Four years ago we were trying to get into the postseason for the first time and we accomplished that,” Aggie head coach Rocky Ward said. “Now, the past three years we’ve been in the hunt for a regular season title. That’s what we want for the program. Hopefully, we can take a step forward this weekend.”
It will be a tough chore for the Aggies against the Ragin’ Cajuns. UL-Lafayette is ranked No. 17 nationally by Sports Weekly/ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll and No. 19 by Collegiate Baseball.
The Ragin’ Cajuns boast a balanced attack, hitting .334 as a team and holding a strong 3.24 earned run average.
“Louisiana-Lafayette has the ability to be very explosive offensively and they have a very good pitching staff,” Ward said. “But we’ve been very good at home against team’s No. 1 and No. 2 starters. We’ll have to be very good on Friday and Saturday again. If we get to their bullpen, I feel we can do some good things. If they have a weakness, it is in the bullpen.”
The Aggies are 6-0 at home in Sun Belt this year and have scored 99 runs in those games.
“We have to come out and play good defense and get good pitching,” senior right fielder Mark Aranda said. “Last week at New Orleans we did that and that was a key.”
New Mexico State won its first season series on the road at New Orleans last week, winning 4-3 on Saturday and 7-2 on Sunday.
The Aggies made a couple of defensive changes that proved beneficial. Shortstop Jason Long was moved to third base, Robby Schildgen got two starts at short and Patrick Fields started in left.
The changes could stay in effect this weekend depending on pitching matchups.
“Patrick gave us a great effort in left and Robby came in and did a nice job,” Ward said.
The Aggies will go with senior righty Dustin Cameron tonight against UL-Lafayette’s Kevin Ardoin. Cameron is 5-6 on the season with a 6.44 ERA, while Ardoin is 9-1 with a 1.88 ERA. In 86 1-3 innings of work, Ardoin has 89 strikeouts and just 18 walks.
On Saturday, the Aggies will go with Jason Conner, who is 7-3 with a 5.86 ERA, while the Ragin’ Cajuns will counter with 9-0 lefty Austin Faught. Opponents are hitting just .186 against Faught this season. Sunday’s starters will be Bryan Robinson (4-2, 6.71 ERA) for NMSU and Micah Cockrell (4-2, 6.71 ERA) for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
“We have to be aggressive at home and keep doing the things we have been doing,” Aggie second baseman Xardiel Cotto said. “This is a big opportunity for us. We’re playing the top team in the league and we have to come out and play with confidence. We have the ability to get it done at home.”
Tonight’s game begins at 6:05 p.m. and the game can be heard on KSNM-AM 570.
Saturday’s game is at 6:05 p.m. and Sunday's game starts at 1:05 p.m.
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Notes: Aranda leads the nation in RBI per game at 1.8 and ranks second in the nation in home runs per game at 0.44... Freshman first baseman Luke Hopkins holds the program’s single season freshman record for hits, home runs and RBIs... The Aggies have won 2 of 3 from Louisiana-Lafayette at home in the Ragin’ Cajuns two visits to Las Cruces.
Felix Chavez can be reached at fchavez@lcsun-news.com
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