NM State scores 20-plus runs for second time this season

Michael Navarrette, New Mexico State Athletics

LAS CRUCES - NM State closed out the 2026 season in a wild, high-scoring finale on Saturday afternoon, falling 30-21 to FIU at Presley Askew Field at Johnson Stadium as the Panthers claimed the series in the rubber match. With the loss, the Aggies conclude the season with a 20-34 overall record and a 9-21 mark in Conference USA play.

On Saturday, the Aggies also recognized 10 seniors, honoring Camden Kaufman, Aidan Lombardi, Aidan Taclas, Colton Sneddon, Julio Ramos, Bryce Campbell, Jack Turner, Jake Carvajal, Dane Woodcook and Connor Wylde.

The Aggies showed fight from the start, responding after FIU plated six runs in the first two innings. NM State chipped away with a run in the first and two in the second before putting together a strong middle stretch, including a four-run fourth inning that helped the Aggies take a brief lead.

The Aggies continued to produce offensively throughout the afternoon, tallying runs in all nine innings and finishing with 21 runs on 16 hits. Steve Solorzano paced the lineup with four hits and two RBIs, while Aidan Taclas, Easton Rulli, Boston Vest, Aidan Lombardi and Camden Kaufman each drove in multiple runs in the season finale.

Despite the offensive output, FIU broke the game open in the later innings. The Panthers erupted for 11 runs in the seventh inning, then added six more in the eighth and another six in the ninth to pull away in the high-scoring contest.

NM State continued to battle to the final out, posting a six-run eighth inning and adding two more in the ninth, highlighted by Taclas’ two-run home run to close out the Aggies’ scoring. FIU finished with 30 runs on 28 hits.

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• NM State logged 21 runs to mark its highest run output against a Division I opponent since April 28, 2024, when it scored 22 runs against Jax State.
• Steve Solorzano logged his 21st multi-hit game of the year and his third four-hit performance of the season. He also ended his junior campaign riding a 16-game hit streak.
• With four RBIs on Saturday, Aidan Lombardi logged a new career high.
• Infielder Camden Kaufman made his Aggie debut on the mound, tossing 0.2 innings, while recording one strikeout.
• Aidan Taclas logged four RBIs to mark a new season-high.
• In total, 11 Aggies made pitching appearances in Saturday’s contest.
• Seven different Aggies posted a double as the team combined for eight doubles in the game. This marked the second time this season the Aggies had eight or more doubles in a single contest.
• With another two hit-by-pitches on Saturday, Boston Vest wrapped up his season with 24 HBPs on the season, marking the most ever in a single year by an Aggie.
• Jonatan Clough logged his seventh triple of the year. This is tied for seventh all-time in program history for triples in a single year, matching the efforts of Daniel Johnson in 2016 and Gil Padilla in 1990. Clough also now ranks tied for ninth in Aggie history in career triples with eight.
• Steve Solorzano concluded the year with 20 doubles to become just the 13th Aggie in program history to record 20 or more doubles in a single year.
• With the loss, NM State concludes the year with a 15-2 record when entering the seventh inning with a lead.

For complete coverage of NM State Baseball, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics – and follow the Aggies on X (@NMStateBaseball), Instagram (@NMStateBaseball) and like Aggie Baseball on Facebook (NMState Baseball).

Michael Navarrette is Assistant Athletic Director of Media Relations for New Mexico State University. He can be reached at micnav@nmsu.edu.