The Basics
Game Two – NCAA Corvallis Regional
Score: Vanderbilt 21, NM State 1
Records: NM State (24-34, 10-20 WAC); Vanderbilt (37-22; 14-16 SEC)
Location: Corvallis, Ore. (Goss Stadium)
CORVALLIS, Ore. – The clock has struck midnight on NM State baseball's Cinderella run through the postseason. Falling 21-1 to Vanderbilt, the Aggies were eliminated from the Corvallis Regional and will head back to Las Cruces as the WAC Champions.
The Aggies got a run in the third inning on a single from
Kevin Jimenez. The NM State graduate singled to center, plating
Cal Villareal before advancing to second on a throwing error.
Other than that, it was all Commodores. The national powerhouse dominated for the duration of the contest. Vanderbilt jumped out to a four-run lead before the Jimenez RBI single. The Commodores proceeded to pour on 17 unanswered runs to close out the game.
As the game progressed into the final innings, head coach
Mike Kirby and pitching coach
Keith Zuniga gave the Aggie seniors an opportunity to be recognized on a national stage. All four seniors –
Tommy Tabak,
Lyle Hibbitts,
Brendon Rodriguez, and
Frank Dickson IV – all saw action in one last game for the Crimson and White. Kirby gave Tabak, Jimenez, and Villareal a chance to be recognized by the fans with a few mid-inning substitutions.
The Aggies conclude the season with a 24-34 record. NM State advanced to the NCAA Tournament after posting a perfect 4-0 record in Mesa to win the WAC Tournament.
Quick Hits
- Nolan Funke was the lone Aggies to record multiple hits while also posting the only extra-base hit for NM State.
- Seven different pitchers made an appearance for NM State.
- Tommy Tabak, Brendon Rodriguez, Lyle Hibbitts, and Frank Dickson IV played their final games for NM State on Saturday.
- The trip to the postseason was the sixth in NM State history.
- Saturday's game was the first ever meeting between the Commodores and Aggies.
For complete coverage of NM State baseball, 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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