OREM, Utah – Utah Valley scored a run in the eighth and another in the ninth, but it wasn't enough as New Mexico State managed to hold on to claim a tightly contested 12-11 contest to take the WAC series over UVU on Saturday afternoon at UCCU Ballpark. 
 
With the Wolverines trailing 12-10 in the last of the ninth, Ryan Eastburn belted out his first home run of the season with a one-out solo shot to right to pull the Wolverines within a run at 12-11 to make things interesting. NM State reliever Keaton Graf then came on and managed to retire the next two hitters he faced, however, to earn the save and help preserve the win for the Aggies. 
 
UVU (9-30, 6-9 WAC) pounded out a total of 16 hits on the day, as every starting position player in the lineup recorded at least one hit. Four Wolverines had multi-hit outings, and Michael Beltran led the group by reaching base five times in the game by going 3-for-5 with two walks and two runs scored. Kade Poulsen too had a strong outing by going 3-for-5 with four RBIs, while Eastburn added a 3-for-5 performance with two runs and an RBI. Tristan Peterson paced the second-place Aggies (28-10, 11-4 WAC) by going 3-for-5 with two runs scored while Tristen Carranza added a 2-for-4 outing with three RBIs and two runs scored to help NM State take two of three from the Wolverines. 
 
"I thought that our guys did a really good job of competing. They truly battled right up until the very end," head UVU coach Eric Madsen said. "We had some guys throughout the game that really kept competing and didn't allow this one to get away from us. I was pleased with our efforts and proud of the team." 
 
After both teams traded a run apiece in the opening inning, NM State pulled ahead with a four-run second to take a 5-1 lead. With two on and one already home in the frame, Carranza delivered the big blow with a three-run big fly to left center to give the Aggies the 5-1 advantage. 
 
The Wolverines then responded with a four-run frame of their own with four in the third to tie the game at 5-5. UVU quickly loaded the bases with nobody out following singles from Trevor Howell and Beltran along with a walk from Eastburn. Alexander Marco then drove the first run home on a fielder's choice to third to make it 5-2. After a walk and another fielder's choice, Poulsen delivered a two-run, two-out single through the left side bring the Wolverines within a run. Drew Sims then tied it at 5-5 with an RBI single of his own through the left side to bring in Mick Madsen. 
 
The Aggies struck back with four in the fourth to take a 9-5 lead. With the bases loaded and one away, Eric Mingus drove two home with a two-run single to give NMSU the lead. Kevin Jimenez followed with an RBI groundout and the final run of the frame came home on a balk call to give NM State the four-run advantage.
 
UVU bounced back with a run of its own in the bottom of the fourth and another in the fifth to make it a 9-7 game. In the fourth, Marco drove in Beltran with a sac fly to left to make it 9-6. Utah Valley then added another run on a sacrifice fly from Kody Hall in the fifth to pull within two. 
 
NM State then tacked on three more in the sixth to extend its lead to 12-7, but UVU answered with two of its own in the bottom of the inning to make it 12-9. After loading the bases with one away, Madsen drove in the first run of the frame with an RBI single to center. Poulsen then followed with an RBI single through the right side, but NMSU's Andrew Edwards responded by retiring the next two hitters he faced to limit the damage and keep it 12-9. 
 
The Wolverines then got another run back in the bottom of the eighth pull within two at 12-10. Pacen Hayes started the inning with a leadoff double to left and later advanced to third on a wild pitch. With one out, Poulsen then plated Hayes with an RBI single up the middle to help make it a two-run game. 
 
The Aggies then got two on with nobody out in the top of the ninth, but UVU senior Kohl Hostert came on and managed to escape the jam with a strike out and an inning-ending double play to send it to the last of the ninth with UVU down just two. 
 
Aldo Fernandez (2-2) earned the win in relief for NM State, while UVU starter Walker Ramsey was tagged with the loss. Came on to record the last two outs in the ninth to earn his first save of the season for the Aggies. 
 
Saturday's weekend finale marked the rubber match between the Aggies and the Wolverines after NM State took game one on Thursday and UVU took game two thanks to a walk-off single from the freshman Madsen in the bottom of the ninth on Friday night. 
 
The Wolverines will now step out of conference play for their second game against the Utah Utes in as many weeks on Tuesday, April 23. First pitch between UVU and Utah is set for 6 p.m. at UCCU Ballpark. Utah Valley will then return to WAC play with a three-game series at CSU Bakersfield next weekend (April 26-28).