By Isaac Jaimes
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — In a rivalry matchup defined by momentum swings and late-game execution, the New Mexico State Aggies baseball team outlasted the University of New Mexico Lobos 8–6 on Tuesday night March 3, at Presley Askew Field. The Aggies handed UNM its first loss of the season.
NMSU set the tone early, jumping out to a 3–0 lead behind disciplined at-bats and timely hitting. The Aggies manufactured runs with smart situational baseball, applying pressure and forcing UNM to play from behind, but as expected in a rivalry clash, the Lobos responded.
UNM evened the score in the sixth inning with a three-run home run that shifted the energy of the game. Moments later, the Lobos capitalized again in the seventh, delivering a three run-RBI double to grab a 6–4 lead and silence the home crowd.
Yet the Aggies never wavered.
Head coach Jake Angier emphasized the team’s mindset before first pitch.
“We talked before the game about discipline and about just staying the course with what we know that we’re supposed to do in the course of the game,” Angier said. “You got to execute and you got to play good baseball.”
That message showed in the bottom of the seventh. Facing a two-run deficit, NMSU responded immediately. The Aggies strung together quality at-bats, controlled the strike zone and capitalized on scoring opportunities, erupting for four runs to reclaim the lead at 8–6.
Angier pointed to the team’s ability to respond as the defining factor.
“It was a back-and-forth game. I mean, we had our lead early and then tied it up and then we took the lead again,” Angier said. “But we just talk about response. I mean, that’s a big thing in our program, is responding and whether we do something good or we do something negative, we want to have a good response, you know, regardless to that on the next pitch, the next play, you know, the next inning. I thought our guys did a really, really good job today, just staying on the response and being positive with it. That’s what led to the win leading forward to the next games, especially in this home run.”
From there, the Aggies’ bullpen shut the door. NMSU attacked the zone late, played clean defense and avoided the costly mistakes that often decide rivalry games.
The win not only secured bragging rights but reinforced the identity Angier has stressed throughout the season discipline, execution and response. In a game where both teams traded punches, NMSU’s ability to answer every challenge ultimately made the difference.
Next time the Aggies play they’ll have a home weekend series March 6-8 vs No. 25 University of Texas at San Antonio.
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