NMSU’s 2024 season comes to an end after falling to Western Kentucky, 8-2

(Courtesy: NMSU Athletics)

RUSTON, Louisiana - The Aggies 2024 season comes to an end after losing 8-2 to the third seed Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in the second round of the Conference USA Championship tournament on Thursday, May 23, in Ruston, La.

The first season of the Angier era comes to an end with a final record of 25-29.

After both sides going scoreless in the first inning the game was delayed due to lighting for 45 minutes.

Solorzano led off the second inning with a leadoff walk. Solorzano then advanced to second on a ground out. Edwin Martinez-Pagani gave the Aggies the lead on his sixth double of the season to score Solorzano.

In the bottom of the third, Western Kentucky managed to tie the game up on an RBI fielder’s choice. The game remained tied until the bottom of the sixth inning when Western Kentucky took the lead.

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, the Hilltoppers hit a two RBI double to take a 3-1 lead over the Aggies.

With runners on third and second the next batter was walked to load the bases once again. They then hit a two RBI single up the middle to go up by four runs.

In the seventh, WKU led off the inning with back-to-back walks and a sac bunt to move the runners to second and third.

Solorzano fielded a ground ball at third base and tried to tag the runner on third but missed the runner and rushed his throw which was offline and allowed the runner on third to score.

They then got two more runs on a single to left center. These two runs were the last two runs that the Hilltoppers scored.

The Aggies were down by seven headed into the ninth. Damone Hale came into the game to pinch hit for Mitch Namie, he then walked and stole second.

Martinez-Pagani was the next Aggie up and he smacked a single to right-field to score Hale and give the Aggies their second and final run of the game.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Ballesteros went 2-3 with one RBI for his 13th multi-hit game of the season.
• Edwin Martinez-Pagani went 2-4 with two RBIs for his 10th multi-RBI game of the season and 10th multi hit game of the season.

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