Aggies go from worst seed to WAC championship baseball game
May 28—MESA, Ariz. — New Mexico State's baseball team, which has gotten hot in timely fashion, is one win away from an NCAA regionals berth.
The Aggies (23-32) continued their charmed run Friday at the eight-team, double-elimination Western Athletic Conference tournament with their third victory in as many days, easily handling and eliminating Sacramento State 7-3 at Hohokam Park.
Next up for New Mexico State, one of two No. 4 (thus, worst) seeds, is a 7 p.m. MT Saturday winner-take-all championship contest against either No. 1 West seed Grand Canyon or No. 4 Southwest seed Abilene Christian. Those two teams played later Friday; ACU would need to win Friday and again early Saturday to advance to meet the Aggies.
Friday against No. 2 West seed Sacramento State, the Aggies scored three first-inning runs and never were threatened.
Roswell Goddard alum Cal Villareal went 4-for-4 with three doubles and two runs from the leadoff position for the Aggies. Tommy Tabak drove in three runs, two in the first inning.
Freshman Cade Swenson tossed the first four innings for NMSU, allowing just one run. The win went to Lyle Hibbits (2-3), who picked up the fifth and sixth frames.
(Click here for the updated tournament bracket and here for Friday's box score.)
