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Aggies collect first win over ranked program since 2021.
Source: NMSU Athletics
By Michael Navarrette
Photo: Courtesy Texas A&M Athletics
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| #14 Texas A&M | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The NM State Aggies pulled off an impressive upset Sunday afternoon, defeating No. 14 Texas A&M 4-1 at Blue Bell Park. The Aggies rode stellar pitching and clutch hitting to secure the victory over their nationally ranked opponent. The win represents the Aggies’ first win over a ranked program since 2021 and the first win over an SEC opponent since the 2018 campaign.
Freshman pitcher Matthew Yarc set the tone for NM State (8-7) with five solid innings, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out one. Reliever Saul Soto was equally impressive, tossing four scoreless innings and giving up just one hit to earn the win and improve his record to 2-0 on the season.
Texas A&M (9-6) struck first in the third inning when Kaeden Kent homered to right field, giving the Aggies a brief 1-0 lead. The visiting Aggies then responded in the top of the fourth with a solo home run from Steve Solorzano, tying the game at 1-1.
NM State would take the lead for good in the seventh inning when Jonatan Clough drew a walk, advanced to third on a Mitch Namie double, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Camden Kaufman.
The Crimson and White later added important insurance runs in the eighth inning as Gianni Horvat was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored on a clutch two-out single by Clough that plated two runs to give the Aggies a 4-1 advantage.
As the Aggies extended their lead, Yarc and Soto began to take control in the fourth inning as they combined to retire 15 consecutive Texas A&M batters before finally giving up a hit in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Las Cruces native Steve Solorzano led the NM State offense with a solo homer and an intentional walk, while Clough drove in three runs to lead the charge in the RBI column.
The Aggies’ defense was sharp, committing no errors while stranding four Texas A&M runners on base.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
- The victory marks the first win over a ranked opponent since April 9, 2021, when NM State defeated No. 24 Sacramento State 10-2 on the road.
- Additionally, this is the Aggies’ first-ever win over Texas A&M in nine tries and marks the program’s first win over an SEC program since a 3-0 win over Alabama exactly seven years ago.
- Each of the Aggies’ top four hitters tallied a hit to mark the fifth time this season that this has occurred and fourth time in the last five games.
- With a pair of RBIs, Jonatan Clough secured the second multi-RBI game of his Aggie career.
- Steve Solorzano’s home run was his third of the season. Appropriately, this is the third solo homer for the Aggie colloquially known as “Solo”.
- Camden Kaufman has now tallied three sacrifice flies on the season which paces all NM State hitters thus far.
- Saul Soto logged his second four-inning outing of the season after also doing so in his season debut against St. Thomas.
- Freshman Matthew Yarc matched his season low in runs allowed with one.
- With a single in the eighth inning, Brandon Forrester extended his hit streak to seven games.
UP NEXT
NM State will now make the three-hour drive to Beaumont, Texas, where it will take on Lamar in a pair of midweek games on Tuesday and Wednesday. Following the two contests against the Cardinals, the Aggies will be back in Las Cruces for a three-game weekend series against Portland beginning Friday, March 14.
