MESA, Ariz. – Despite striking for three runs in the first and leading 4-1 after three, the NM State Aggies baseball program fell 5-4 Thursday night in the WAC Tournament Quarterfinals to top-seeded Grand Canyon at Hohokam Stadium.

The Aggies (20-33) after scoring the three first inning runs, managed just one run and five hits over the final eight innings of play.

Brandon Rodriguez (1-2) suffered the loss for the Aggies. The lefty allowed just two runs in 2.1 innings in relief of NMSU starter Sammy Natera. Natera pitched 3.2 innings, allowing six hits, three runs (two earned) and three walks. The lefty struck out six Lopes (37-19-1).

NMSU got off a dream start Thursday striking for three early runs off Carter Young.

After GCU retired Zerek Saenz on a groundout, infielder Kevin Jimenez doubled with one out. Following a walk to Ethan Mann, right fielder Cal Villareal singled home Jimenez to give the Aggies a 1-0 lead.

Brandon Dieter then followed the RBI single with a two-run double that scored Mann and Villareal. The extra-base hit gave the Aggies a 3-0 lead heading to the bottom of the first.
In the home half of the first, Natera cruised past the first two hitters, before allowing a single, a walk and a hit-by-pitch. The lefty recovered however using a flyout to strand the bases loaded.

Following a scoreless frame from the Aggies at the plate, Natera forced a weak check swing from Brock Burton that Natera tried to field, but the lefty slipped and the ball glanced off his glove for an infield single.

GCU would score two batters later when Channy Ortiz grounded into a fielders choice following a double by Johnny Weaver. Natera would limit the damage to just one, as the Aggies led 3-1 after two.

In the top of the third, NM State used a one-out walk by Dieter, an infield single from designated hitter Zach Smits and a passed ball to place a pair in scoring position for catcher Jason Bush. The Smits single prompted a pitching change as GCU summoned Nick Hull from the 'pen before the Bush at-bat.

Bush sliced Hull's 3-2 offering into the left-center field gap. Burton tried to make a diving attempt on the play, but the ball ultimately ticked off his glove and fell for a double that scored Dieter from third.

Needing to hold up in case the ball was ultimately caught Smits was held at third. With the infield drawn in, Connor Laux grounded out for the second out of the inning and Tommy Tabak struck out, ending the Aggie threat. The double was the lone run that NM State scored while Hull was in the game as the righty pitched 4.2 innings of relief. He struck out nine.

GCU answered the NM State run with one of their own in the home half of the third, as Elijah Buries reached on a one-out error by Laux. Natera bounced back to strike out the next Lopes hitter, but Cade Verdusco ripped a double down the left field line that scored Buries and cut the 4-1 Aggie lead to 4-2.

In the fourth, Mann smoked a ball to left that looked to be sailing over the wall for a home run. The ball instead glanced off the top of the wall for a double. The next Aggie batter, Villareal, was hit by a pitch placing on a pair on base, but GCU ended the Aggie threat with a strikeout.

GCU again threatened in the fourth, using a one single from Ortiz and a walk to place the tying runs on base. After a balk advanced the tying runs into scoring position, Natera rebounded to strike out Juan Colato.

Looking to guide his lefty through the frame, Keith Zuinga visited the mound. The pitching coach turned around after leaving the mound to answer Natera's question. The umpires ruled that Zuniga made a "second" mound visit and Natera was allowed to pitch to just one more batter.

The final batter Natera faced, Buries, sent a higher chopper to second. The first baseman dove head first into first base and was originally called out.Upon review, it was determined that Buries beat the throw and Lopes runner at third base scored to cut the Aggie lead to 4-3.

Rodriguez entered for the disqualified Natera and used a strikeout to keep the Aggies on top.

After the teams traded zeros in the fifth, GCU went ahead for good in the home half of the sixth, using a two-out single from Verdusco to tie the game at four and an infield hit from Burton to go ahead 5-4.

NMSU went down in order in the seventh and eighth against Hull and Coen Wynne, but attempted a last ditch rally against Frankie Scalzo in the ninth.

After Mann grounded out for the first out of the ninth, Villareal reached on a single, bringing Dieter to the plate. The shortstop drove a Scalzo offering deep into the right-center field gap, but Tommy
Burton was able to just run it down at the wall.

Ronnie Allen Jr pinch-hit for the Aggies and worked a walk, advancing the tying run into scoring position with two outs for Bush. The catcher worked the count to 1-2, but ultimately was rung up on a check swing by home plate umpire Matt Stelleges. The strikeout sealed the victory for the Lopes.

AT THE PLATE:
• Mann went 2-for-4 with a walk, and now has reached base in 12 consecutive games.
• Villareal also went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
• Dieter drove in a pair of runs. It was his 12th multiple RBI game of the season.
• His double was his 15th of the season, and extended his hitting streak to six straight.  
• Saenz went 0-for-4 Thursday and saw his eight-game hitting streak snapped.
• He did however extend his on-base streak to nine.
• Jimenez has also reached base in nine straight.

ON THE MOUND:
• The Aggies struck out 11 Lopes batters.
• Rodriguez struck out four in his 2.1 innings of work.
• Righty Cam Blazek pitched two strong innings for the Aggies. The pitcher allowed just two hits in his two scoreless innings.

UP NEXT:           
The Aggies return to action tomorrow for a Noon (MT) matchup with fifth-seeded Seattle who eliminated Utah Valley 9-8 earlier Thursday. If the Aggies are able to defeat the Redhawks, NMSU will advance to face UTRGV in yet another elimination game at around 4:00 p.m. (MT) or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the matchup with Seattle U.