Defending Champ Fresno St. Falls In WAC Opener

(Courtesy NM State, Fresno State & wire reports)

HONOLULU – The New Mexico State baseball team (42-15) won its first ever Western Athletic Conference tournament game 7-4 over the defending tournament champion Fresno State at Les Murakami Stadium in Honolulu, Hawai’i, Thursday, May 21.

Junior Steven Anderson hit the go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth giving NM State the chance to take on the winner of the Louisiana Tech-Hawai’i game. Anderson, who entered the game as a pinch runner was 1-for-1 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

“I am proud of him and what he did today,” head coach Rocky Ward said. “This can really boost his career.”

Fresno State had won twelve straight WAC Tournament games, and three straight WAC championships from 2006-2008. The defending national champions are now 12-1 in WAC tournament play.

Senior lead-off hitter Richard Stout (Boise, Idaho) went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while junior Nate Shaver (The Dalles, Ore.) was 3-for-5 on the day hitting in the two hole.

Red shirt freshman Scott Coffman (Albuquerque, N.M.) came in the game during the seventh inning and picked up his third win of the season. He threw 1 1/3 innings with two strikeouts, while senior Jake Wilson (Chropus Christi, Texas) earned his third save coming in to close out the ninth.

The Aggies got on the board first after senior centerfielder Richard Stout (Boise, Idaho) reached base with a lead-off walk and advanced to second on a Shaver single to right. Senior Jeff Farnham (Las Vegas, Nev.) got the RBI on a single to centerfield.

Fresno State leadoff batter Danny Muno opened the first inning drawing a walk. Muno leads the country in getting walked with 62. Freshman Dusty Robinson battled through the pitch count and blasted a two-run home runs over the left field wall giving the Bulldogs the lead, 2-1.

With the bases loaded, Fresno State added another run with an RBI walk in the fourth inning.

The Aggies tied the game in the eighth when junior Leo Aguirre (Austin, Texas) hit a triple over the leftfielder’s head to bring in pinch-runner Steven Anderson (Markham, Ontario) from second base. Anderson came in for junior Mike Sodders (Moreno Valley, Calif.) who picked up the Aggies’ first extra-base hit of the game. Aguirre crossed the plate to give NM State a 4-3 lead when Kyle Decater (Sammaish, Wash.) singled up the middle.

The Bulldogs tied the game up in the bottom of the eighth, but that didn’t last long as Anderson blasted a ball over the left field wall in the pitcher friendly park to bring in three runs.

With the win NM State plays LA Tech with first pitch set for 10pm PT Friday in Honolulu, Hawai’i.

The Bulldogs face San Jose State Friday at 6 pm PT. A loss would end the defending national champion's season. They would become the second straight defending champion (along with Oregon State last year) to fail to qualify for the NCAA field the following year.