LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Aggies can mash. No doubt about it.
 
Five home runs, including two each from freshmen Matalasi Faapito and Ramsay Lopez, carried NM State (2-0) to a 13-4 run-rule win over Bradley (1-1) on the second day of the Troy Cox Classic at the Softball Complex.
 
Friday's win was head coach Kathy Rodolph's 500^th as the Aggies' skipper.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first inning, NM State jumped all over the Braves in the bottom of the second.
 
Sophomore infielder Casie Roberto got it started, hitting her second home run in as many nights to give the Aggies an early 2-0 lead. NM State tacked on another run in the frame to extend its advantage to 3-0 heading into the top of the third.
 
Bradley responded with a run of their own, but Faapito made sure it wouldn't matter. She smacked a three-run shot – the first of her collegiate career – in the bottom half of the third, giving the Aggies a comfortable 6-1 edge.
 
The lead only grew from there. Lopez's first career dinger came an inning later, as she powered one over the wall in right field to make it 8-1.
 
Bradley would not go away, though. The Braves scored three in the top of the fifth, getting to starter Analise De La Roca after she kept them in check through four-plus innings.
 
The junior struck out five in 4 2/3 innings of work, allowing four runs and six hits to put herself in position to get the win. Sophomore Chloe Rivas came on in relief for the second time in as many nights to close out the fifth inning.
 
Ahead 8-4 in the bottom half of the fifth, the Aggies put the game to bed.
 
Faapito led off and crushed her second homer of the game and career to begin the onslaught. Freshman outfielder Gabby Aragon and senior catcher Nikki Butler each doubled in a run to put NM State ahead 11-4 – one run shy of invoking the run rule.
 
Lopez then stepped to the plate and ended it with the second homer of her career. She hit it over the wall in right for the second time in the game, giving the Aggies the 13-4 win on her walk-off dinger.

COACH RODOLPH'S TAKE
On her 500^th win as an Aggie
"Pretty special. This is a unique group to do it with. When you get 500 wins, it really means that you've had some phenomenal young ladies that want to play for you. I'm extremely honored. To every single kid I've had the opportunity to coach: 'Thank you.'"

On the freshmen powering tonight's offense
"This freshman class is special. Ramsay and [Matalasi] are definitely special. Both of them can do it on both sides of the ball. Both of them are special kids."

On the pitching staff's performance through two games
"I feel really good that we have a staff and that we buy into a staff. They complement each other well, so I expect great things from them. Analise did a great job tonight, and I'm sure that whoever I give the ball to tomorrow will come out firing."

UP NEXT
NM State will go up against one of the country's top programs tomorrow afternoon. The Aggies clash with #20 Arkansas (1-1) at 4:30 p.m. Saturday before closing out the Troy Cox Classic against Battle of I-10 rival UTEP (0-2) at 2 p.m. Sunday.

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