SEATTLE - The complete game king of college baseball came to the Pacific Northwest and did what he does best: stayed in for the entire showdown and emerged with the win.

Senior right-hander Chris Jefferson submitted his nation-leading third complete game and NM State's offense backed their ace with just enough run support to emerge as 2-1 winners over Seattle U in game one of a WAC doubleheader at Bannerwood Park Saturday afternoon.

SCORING PLAYS
T1 | The offense came early on for the Aggies as they accumulated four of their nine hits in the game in the opening frame. Zerek Saenz, Brandon Dieter and Ethan Mann each came up with singles to load the bases, setting the table for Tommy Tabak. NM State's center fielder handed the visitors a lead they wouldn't relinquish from there, punching an 0-1 offering to right center field for an RBI single that put the Aggies up 1-0.
T2 | Two-out hitting - as well as the first of two Redhawk miscues - allowed NM State to double its lead. Connor Laux led off the inning with a single and moved to second on an error by Seattle U's center fielder. After Saenz touched first on the hosts' second and final error of the game, Dieter drilled a two-out RBI single to left that hiked the Aggies' advantage to 2-0.
B2 | NM State's two-run lead got cut in half thanks to some timely hitting by the hosts. After giving up a leadoff single, Jefferson's 2-1 offering to Kyle Sherick with two outs was laced down the right field line for an RBI double that made matters 2-1.

AT THE DISH
• Dieter delivered in the batter's box time and time again, finishing with three of the Aggies' nine hits.
• Mann went 2-for-3 in the Aggies' all-singles offensive attack.
• No Seattle U player put forth a multi-hit effort as the Redhawks were limited to only four hits by Jefferson. Sherick's RBI double represented the game's lone extra-base hit while leadoff man Gavin Rork reached base a team-best two times. 

ON THE HILL
• Jefferson enjoyed another brilliant Saturday as the Aggies' king of the hill. The senior racked up five punch outs and surrendered just one run on four hits and a pair of walks. Jefferson allowed just two Redhawks to get into scoring position through the entire game.
• Suffering the tough-luck loss was Alex Jemal. He too tossed a complete game, but dropped to 1-4 after letting up two runs (one earned) on nine hits and a hit-by-pitch.

COMING UP NEXT
• Eyeing lead in the series, NM State finishes its Saturday doubleheader with Seattle U at 3:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon. The Aggies will send right-hander Josh Laukkanen to the bump as they take aim at a 2-1 lead in the four-game set.

++NM State++