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NM State completes Cinderella run in WAC tournament to claim title

Aggies will find out where they are going in NCAA regional on Monday

Posted

Champs Again: NM State Clinches 2022 WAC Baseball Title

NM State will find out its fate for the NCAA Tournament on Monday morning

 

The Basics 
Game Four – WAC Baseball Tournament 
Score: No. 4 NM State 7, No. 4 Abilene Christian 1
Records: NM State (24-32, 10-20 WAC); Abilene Christian (30-29; 14-16 WAC) 
Location: Mesa, Ariz. (Hohokam Park) 
 
MESA, Ariz. –  Mesa Magic. The NM State baseball team finished off its Cinderella run through the WAC Baseball Tournament with a 7-1 win over Abilene Christian on Saturday night. As the last team in, NM State went undefeated throughout the tournament – A perfect 4-0.

The championship sealing victory means one thing: The Aggies are headed back to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in five years.

Pablo Cortes got the ball for NM State and worked two scoreless innings before giving way to Ian Mejia.

Nolan Funke got the scoring going with a home run into the bullpen in right field. Cal Kilgore wasted no time getting the score to 2-0 when he singled to center field, bringing home Preston Godfrey.

Funke kept his mojo alive with a double to score Tommy Tabak. Godfrey and Cal Villareal would push the lead to 5-0 with RBI singles in the fourth as well.

The lone run of the day for Abilene Christian came on a solo shot to right field in the fifth inning. Gunner Antillon would get the run back and then some for NM State in the sixth inning with a 2 RBI single up the middle.

In a non-traditional save situation, head coach Mike Kirby gave the ball to Alex Bustamante in the seventh inning. With nine outs to play, Bustamante showed no nerves and completed the three-inning save seamlessly.

With two away in the ninth inning, Bustamante induced a fly ball to Tabak in right field and pandemonium ensued on the playing surface at Hohokam Stadium.

Following the game, Funke, Tabak, Mejia, and Cortes were all named to the All-Tournament team while Villareal was named the Most Valuable Player. For the second straight game, Villareal tallied four hits for NM State.

Wobble on, Aggie Nation. Wobble on.

 
Quick Hits 

  • The tournament title was the second WAC title in NM State history. The other came in 2018.
  • Cal Villareal earned Tournament MVP honors after a monster week that included a pair of four-hit games.
  • Tommy Tabak, Nolan Funke, Ian Mejia, and Pablo Cortes were also all named to the All-Tournament team.
  • NM State will find out where they’re heading for regionals during the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship on Monday, May 30. The show will begin at 10 a.m. MT on ESPN2.
  • Finishing the week at a perfect 4-0, the Aggies roll through the WAC Baseball Tournament with an undefeated record.

For complete coverage of NM State baseball throughout the 2022 WAC Baseball Tournament, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Baseball), Twitter (@NMStateBaseball), and Instagram (@NMStateBaseball). 


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