LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Sophomore Cesar Valero homered twice and drove in four, while Jorge Bojorquez added two hits, a home run, and finished with two RBI, but host New Mexico State rallied for a walk-off win in the ninth, clinching a 10-9 victory over the Hornets in game two of their Western Athletic Conference series on Saturday afternoon in Las Cruces, N.M.

Sacramento State fell to 14-16 overall and 6-8 in conference play with the defeat despite banging out 13 hits and slugging four home runs on the day. The Aggies improved to 12-16 overall and 4-10 in WAC play, snapping a three-game skid with the victory.

Dawsen Bacho finished with a team-high three hits — including his first home run of the season — to finish as one of five Hornets with multiple hits on the day. Along with Valero and Bojorquez, Martin Vincelli-Simard and Josh Rolling added a pair of base hits — including a double each — and were on base three times, while Nick Iwasa scored a pair of runs, and was on the base three times after being hit by a pitch twice.

Valero's two home runs marked his second multi-homer game of the season (three against Houston Baptist on March 4) and his first home run since the series finale against Grand Canyon on March 27. His 10 home runs this year make him the first Hornet hitter to log double digits in that category since James Outman hit 11 in 2018.

Bojorquez, meanwhile, slugged his third home run in his last five games and his fourth overall.

After spotting Sacramento State a five-run lead in the first inning of the series opener on Friday, New Mexico State opened Saturday's contest with five runs over the first two innings on Saturday to build an early advantage. That would only be the beginning of a game that featured 19 combined runs, 27 combined hits, and six home runs between the two squads.

The Hornets responded with a three-run third to cut into the Aggies' lead, scoring on RBI hits from Rolling (single) and Bojorquez (double), while Iwasa scored on a passed ball to make it a two-run game. Sacramento State took its first lead of the day two innings later thanks to another big inning, plating four runs in the fifth for a 7-5 advantage.

Iwasa knocked a one-out single and moved up 90 feet on Gunner Gouldsmith's single up the middle. A fielder's choice left runners on the corners for Valero, who launched a 2-2 pitch over the wall in left to put the Hornets in front. Bacho followed with a long ball of his own, depositing a 2-1 offering over the wall in left for a 7-5 lead before a ground ball stopped the bleeding and ended the inning.

Sacramento State's advantage didn't last long as NMSU answered with three runs of its own in the home half of the fifth as Ryan Grabosch singled home a run and Logan Gallina slugged a two-run shot to left after an error extended the inning to regain the lead.

Back-to-back home runs by Bojorquez and Valero in the seventh put the Hornets back in front, 9-8, but the Aggies had a response once again in the home half, putting runners on second and third for Brandon Dieter, whose ground ball to third was enough to plate the tying run, setting up a dramatic ninth.

Sacramento State had the bases loaded in the eighth and put two on in the ninth, only to come up empty, while the Aggies were able to come through with two down in the bottom of the ninth. After a pair of strikeouts, Tommy Tabak singled and stole second to being up Nolan Funke, who laced a single up the middle to score Tabak with the game-winner.

Jack Zalasky (3-3), who earned the save on Friday night, was one of nine Hornet pitchers on the day, stuck with the loss after allowing a run on two hits while striking out a pair. Alex Bustamonte (1-1) earned the win in relief, throwing two shutout innings while allowing only one hit and striking out three.

The rubber game of the series is scheduled for Sunday morning (April 10) at 11 a.m. PT and will be streamed live on the WAC Digital Network.