LAS CRUCES, N.M - In yet another slugfest, NM State plated four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Seattle U 15-14 and force the if necessary game on championship day at the WAC Tournament Saturday.
The Aggies' Nikki Butler opened the game with a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning, but the Redhawks came back in the top of the second with six runs on four singles to take a 6-4 lead. NM State then even the score in the bottom of the frame.
After Seattle U's Maddy Kristjanson homered in the top of the third, the Aggies jumped ahead 11-7 in the bottom of the third on a two-run single by Kennedy Johnson followed by a three-run home run by Fahren Glackin.
In the top of the fourth, the Redhawks tied the game on a Savannah Loomis double and Cherise Silvan and Jessica Flanagan singles.
Seattle U took a 14-11 lead in the top of the sixth on a Kayla Gonzales pinch hit three-run homer.
Then, in the bottom of the seventh, the Aggies scored four runs on a Butler single, a Caity Szczesny single, a Haley Nakamura walk and a Rachel Rodriguez single to force the if necessary championship game.
Butler led all players with six RBIs, while Szczesny was 3-for-5 with a key RBI and Rodriguez was 2-for-5 with the biggest RBI of the tournament.
Samaria Diaz earned the win on the circle to improve to 16-8 on the season.
Andie Larkins suffered the loss, dropping to 11-21 on the year.