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NM State to face Kennesaw State on Thursday at 7 a.m. MT
Source: NMSU Athletics
Photo and Story By Michael Navarrette for NMSU: Courtesy
LYNCHBURG, Va. – NM State came out firing in its Conference USA Championship opener on Wednesday, building an early six-run lead against second-seeded Western Kentucky, but a late WKU rally resulted in a 7-6 walk-off defeat for the Aggies in 10 innings.
The Aggies struck quickly in the top of the first, as leadoff man Brandon Forrester set the tone with a triple to right center on the first pitch of the game and later came home on a sacrifice fly by Mitch Namie to give NM State a 1-0 lead. The momentum carried into the second, when Gianni Horvat singled and later scored on a groundout by Dane Woodcook, doubling the lead to 2-0.
NM State kept the pressure on in the fourth inning with a four-run outburst. Singles by Austin Corbett and Woodcook, followed by a walk to Forrester, loaded the bases. Namie and Steve Solorzanocame through with a walk and a two-run single, respectively, and Boston Vest capped the rally with an RBI single to center to make it 6-0.
On the mound, the Aggies’ starter Connor Wylde cruised through the first four innings, holding WKU hitless and off the scoreboard. But the Hilltoppers clawed back with two runs in the fifth and a big three-run double in the sixth by Ethan Lizama, trimming the Aggies’ lead to 6-5.
Despite several opportunities to add insurance runs—including bases-loaded chances in the seventh and runners on the corners in the ninth—NM State couldn’t push another run across.
WKU tied the game in the eighth on a solo homer by Lizama, and after NM State went down in order in the tenth, WKU completed the comeback in the bottom half. A leadoff walk set the stage for Lizama once again, who delivered the walk-off double to end it.
The Aggies outhit the Hilltoppers 11-9 and showed early dominance at the plate, but WKU’s bullpen held firm over the final five innings, while NM State left 13 runners on base.
With the loss, NM State will now fight to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament. They’ll face an elimination game against No. 3 Kennesaw State on Thursday morning at 7 a.m. MT with their season on the line. The Owls are coming off of a 9-3 loss to No. 6 FIU on Wednesday morning.
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