The New Mexico State Aggies fought until the very last out, but their comeback bid fell just short in a 7-6 loss to Missouri State on Sunday at Meador Park. The defeat capped a tough three-game sweep for NM State, dropping their season record to 19-31 overall and 8-19 in Conference USA play.
The Bears jumped ahead early with two runs in the second inning, but the Aggies showed their resilience in the fifth. Tommy Meluskey drove in a run with a groundout, Camden Kaufman followed with an RBI double, and Steve Solorzano added another RBI groundout to give NM State a 3-2 lead. However, Missouri State answered right back with three runs in the bottom of the frame to regain control.
True to their fighting spirit, the Aggies rallied again in the eighth. Jonatan Clough was hit by a pitch and came around to score, and Solorzano crossed home on an RBI single up the middle from Easton Rulli to tie the game at 5-5. But the Bears immediately responded with two runs in the bottom of the eighth, taking a 7-6 lead. NM State brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth but couldn't push across the equalizer.
Despite the loss, there were standout individual performances. Aidan Taclas led the way with three hits and two RBIs, while Kaufman and Solorzano each drove in a run as the Aggies totaled 10 hits—their 23rd game this season with double-digit hits. Solorzano extended his hitting streak to 12 games, the longest active streak by any Aggie, while Taclas recorded his 14th multi-hit game and fourth with at least three hits.
In a historic note, Boston Vest was hit by a pitch in the eighth inning, marking his 21st hit-by-pitch of the season. That ties the program record set by Tristan Carranza in both 2018 and 2019. Freshman JT Price also turned heads, logging a career-long 5.0 innings while allowing no earned runs.
For Aggie fans, this series showed the team's heart and ability to compete, even when the final score doesn't go their way. With key players like Solorzano and Taclas heating up at the plate, NM State has the pieces to finish the season strong.