Written by: Teddy Feinberg/Sun-News Reporter
LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The New Mexico State softball team opens play today at the Cathedral City Kickoff Tournament in Palm Spring, Calif.
Stiff competition awaits at the tourney, with the Aggies facing No. 2-ranked Texas A&M at 1 p.m. and then No. 18-ranked Oregon State at 8:30 p.m. today. NMSU will play California and Portland State on Saturday and Cal-Poly on Sunday.
"It's good competition for us right off the bat," Aggie coach Kathy Rodolph said. "It will show us where we are right now and hopefully where we should be in May."
NMSU enters the season with only two seniors on the roster, infielder Staphanie Herrera and catcher Ashley Roszkos. Still, Rodolph likes the makeup of the roster with six juniors, six sophomores and six freshmen.
"We've got a good group of of juniors that played a lot, even as freshmen," Rodolph said. "Everyone knows there will be challenges, but we're not worried."
NMSU will start Western Athletic Conference play on March 24, when they go to Hawaii. The Wahine and Fresno State have traditionally been the team's to beat in the WAC. Last year, NMSU finished third in the conference behind first-place Hawaii and the second-place Bulldogs.
This year, however, both teams have some question marks in their pitching rotation, leaving Rodolph thinking a possible jump in the standings is more than possible. NMSU was picked to finish fourth in the preseason WAC poll behind Hawaii, Fresno and Nevada, respectively.
"We're moving in the right direction," Rodolph said. "Our team is trying to continue to climb that ladder."
Pitcher Kim Watson said she welcomed the challenge of taking on the conference's upper-echelon teams.
"I'm really looking forward to taking on Fresno and Hawaii," Watson said. "They have good hitters and its always a challenge to pitch against them."
Watson will lead a pitching staff that includes fellow junior Sammie Dillard and sophomore Vanessa Fitzgerald who all saw significant action last season.
"The three returning pitchers, I think we've been working really hard and locating our pitches and making it move," Watson said. "Just doing what coach asks."
Herrera was picked as a Preseason All-WAC member after hitting .371 with a homer, 16 RBIs and 31 runs scored. Herrera added 19 stolen bases on the year as well and will be an impact player once again for NMSU at the plate and on the base paths.
The Aggies have been running organized practices since Jan. 10. All the preperation will be tested, starting today against Texas A&M.
"We've had our practice time," Rodolph said. "The kids are looking forward to putting that hard work to use."
Teddy Feinberg can be reached at tfeinberg@lcsun-news.com
