LAS CRUCES, N.M. – With a chance to claim a series victory on Saturday, the New Mexico State baseball team came up short against UTRGV. A four-run ninth inning lifted the Vaqueros to a 8-4 win over the Aggies in the second meeting of a three-game set.   
 
NM State once again relied on the home run in Saturday’s contest as Preston Godfrey and Nick Gore both went deep. Gore’s home run marked the second straight game that he cleared the fence and a team-leading fifth round tripper this season.
 
After the long ball, NM State struggled to get much going offensively on Saturday. The Aggies only managed to push across two additional runs in the contest. Only Gore and Keith Jones II pieced together multi-hit games for the Aggies in the seven-hit loss.
 
UTRGV clung to a one-run lead as the game went to the ninth inning before tacking on four runs in the frame as insurance. After the first two hitters were retired in the bottom of the ninth, Nolan Funke doubled before Jones II drove him in with a single to left field. Once again, Gore reached base after being hit by a pitch but the two-out magic would stop there as the next hitter bounced out to the first baseman to end the game.
 
UTRGV and NM State will play a series rubber match on Sunday, beginning at noon.
 
Quick Hits
·      Nick Gore and Keith Jones II both tallied multi-hit games for the Aggies
·      Gore and Preston Godfrey homered for the Aggies with Gore’s long ball being his second in as many days.
·      Pablo Cortes took the loss for the Aggies, his second of the season.
·      The ninth inning saw three different Aggies pitch with Hayden Walker eventually escaping the jam.
·      UTRGV evened the series with a victory. The two teams will meet on Sunday with a series win on the line.