The Basics 
Game Three 
Score: UIC 1, NM State 4 
Records: UIC (1-2); NM State (2-1) 
Location: Las Cruces, N.M. (Presley Askew Field) 
 
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Sometimes a single swing can change the course of an entire baseball game and NM State's Edwin Martinez-Pagani proved just that on Sunday afternoon. Tied in the seventh inning, head coach Mike Kirby called on Martinez-Pagani to pinch hit for Kyle Westfall as UIC made a pitching change. On the first pitch Martinez-Pagani saw this season, he launched a fastball into orbit for a three-run blast.  
 
Ian Mejia proved to be dominant on Sunday. With a pair of runners in scoring position and nobody out in the first inning, Mejia worked out of the jam, inducing a foul out and a pair of swinging strikeouts. In the second inning, Mejia picked up three more swinging strikeouts to bring his total to five. 
 
NM State opened the game's scoring in the bottom of the third inning. Brandon Dieter led off the Aggie half with a single before being advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kevin Jimenez. With one away, Brandon Grabosch ripped a single to right field, scoring Dieter from second and giving the Aggies a 1-0 lead. 

In the top of the fourth inning, UIC almost immediately responded. On a 1-0 pitch, the Flames' second baseman ripped a triple to center field. In the following at-bat, Mejia forced a ground out to shortstop, but the UIC baserunner came across to score and even the game at one.  
 
Mejia continued to deal through 6.0 innings of work before giving way to Noah Estrella. Upon entry, Estrella recorded a pair of swinging strikeouts and a two-hop groundout to shortstop.  
 
Gunner Antillon led off the seventh inning for the Aggies and was plunked on a 1-2 pitch to get on base. Cal Villareal followed with a single to the right side, advancing Antillon to second. AJ Garcia bounced into a fielder's choice at third base for the first out of the inning.  
 
UIC skipper Sean McDermott went to the bullpen ahead of Westfall reaching the plate. With the Flames bringing in a right-handedpitcher, Kirby went with the switch-hitting Martinez-Pagani as a pinch-hitter. Sitting on a first pitch fastball, Martinez-Pagani launched a moonshot towards the Organ Mountains and enjoyed every second of his three-run blast.  
 
Estrella came back out to work the eighth inning and escaped a bases loaded jam unscathed. With the bags juiced, Estrella managed to get the UIC pinch-hitter to fly out to center fielder Tommy Tabak. 
 
Alex Bustamonte came on to work the ninth inning for the Aggies. In his second appearance of the weekend, Bustamonte worked a spotless frame, catching a UIC hitter looking to end the ballgame and give the Aggies the series-clinching victory. 

Quick Hits 

• NM State pitchers struck out at least 14 UIC hitters in each of the three games of the series.
• Edwin Martinez-Pagani's pinch-hit home run was his first long ball as an Aggie. It was the second home run of the season for NM State, following Logan Gallina's solo shot yesterday.
• Alex Bustamonte locked down his first save of the season. He becomes the second Aggie to notch a save this season after Pablo Cortes earned a save in Saturday's contest.
• Gunner Antillon becomes the second NM State player in as many days to notch three hits in a ballgame, joining Gallina on Saturday.
• When Oakland comes to Las Cruces next weekend, it will be the Aggies second consecutive series against a Horizon League opponent. 
• Sammy Natera received the highest grade of any pitcher across Division I baseball by the D1Baseball Staff on Saturday. Natera earned a game grade of 89 for his 7.0 innings of work while striking out 14 and allowing just two hits. 

On-Deck 
The Aggies will be back in action against Oakland on Friday, February 25. The three-game set with kick-off on Friday at 3:00 p.m. and all the action can be found on the WAC Digital Network or 91.5 FM KRUX. 
 
For complete coverage of NM State baseball throughout the Aggies 2022 campaign on Friday, Feb. 18, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Baseball), Twitter (@NMStateBaseball) and Instagram (@NMStateBaseball).