EDINBURG, Texas – The New Mexico State baseball team won their second straight WAC series with a 7-3 win over UT Rio Grande Valley on Sunday. This is the first time since 2010 that the Aggies have opened conference play with two straight series wins.
 
UTRGV jumped on the board early in the first inning as a run came in on a single through the right side. The Vaqueros increased their lead to three with two runs in the second on a two-RBI single to left.
 
The Aggie bats caught fire in the fourth as Greg Popylisen beat out a ball to short for an infield single to lead off the inning. Popylisen then stole second. Austin Botello would bring him in with a single to left. Botello advanced to second on a passed ball. Joseph Koerper singled to third, putting runner at first and second. L.J. Hatch drove in Botello and Koerper with a two-RBI double down the left field line, tying the game at 3 apiece.
 
NM State's bats stayed hot in the fifth as Brent Sakurai led off with a single through the left side. Daniel Johnson followed suit with a single to right. Greg Popylisen brought them both in with a two-RBI double down the left field line. Austin Botello brought in Popylisen with an RBI single to center, and then advanced to second on a wild pitch during the next at-bat. Joseph Koerper plated Botello with a double to left, putting the Aggies up to stay 7-3.
 
Starter Marcel Renteria settled down after the first two frame and threw four shutout innings, earning his second win. Chris Butcher and Joe Galindo combined for three hitless innings to close out the game, giving the Aggies the victory.
 
NM State is back in action on Tuesday as they travel to Roswell, N.M. for the second game of the Rio Grande Rivalry Series against New Mexico.