THE BASICS: 
Score: NM State 0 – Sam Houston 10 
Records: NM State (9-9) | Sam Houston (12-6) 
Location: Presley Askew Field  
Win: Coltin Atkinson (3-1) | Loss: Treyjen Meza (3-2) 

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The NM State Aggies fell to the Sam Houston Bearkats 10-0 in an eight inning game Friday March 15 at Presley Askew Field. The Aggies open conference play of the 2024 season with a loss to move to 9-9 on the year.  

Sam Houston got on the board first, turning on a pitch and sending it out to left field, putting the Aggies in a 2-0 deficit in the top of the first inning. The Bearkats lead grew in the second, giving NM State a 4-0 hole.  

Romeo Ballesteros gave the Aggies their first hit of the contest in the bottom of the third with a double down the left field line. He would then advance to third on a wild pitch. Ballesteros would be the lone Aggie to reach scoring position in tonight's competition. 

In the top of the fifth the Bearkats managed to add four more runs on a grand slam hit by Caleb Cotton.  

In the bottom of the fifth the Aggie first baseman Mitch Namie hit a single to left field his 22nd of the year. This would be the last hit the Aggies managed to get in the game.  

Starting pitcher Treyjen Meza would be taken out of the game after the fifth with a final line of five innings pitched, seven earned runs, four strikeouts and four walks. Matt Romero came into relief for Meza and had two solid innings of work.  

In the top of the eighth the Bearkats earned two more runs to go up by ten. They would earn the two runs on a two RBI home run hit by Walker Janek. After pitching for 2.2 innings Romero would be taken out and replaced by Kade Benavidez.  

Matt Romero recorded 2.2 innings, allowing six hits and two runs but recorded two strikeouts. Benavidez would only see one batter with his time on the mound as he quickly struck him out to end the eighth.  

After a scoreless eighth from the Aggies the game would end on a 10-run mercy rule.  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: 

• This is just the second game this season that the Aggies have failed to produce at least five runs. 
• Romeo Ballesteros knocked a double in the third, his second extra base hit of the season. 
• Matt Romero tallied two strikeouts, his second time this season reaching that mark.  
• Three different Aggie arms were featured on the mound.  
• This is the first time since April 1, 2022, that the Aggies were shutout.  

UP NEXT: 
The NM State Aggies will be back at Presley Askew Field on Saturday, March 16, for game two of a three-game series against Sam Houston. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. MT. For complete coverage of NM State Baseball, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics – and follow us on Twitter (@NMStateBaseball), Instagram (@NMStateBaseball) and like us on Facebook (NMState Baseball) 

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