The Independent Student Voice of NMSU Since 1907

NMSU Round Up
The Independent Student Voice of NMSU Since 1907

NMSU Round Up
The Independent Student Voice of NMSU Since 1907

NMSU Round Up

Aggies silence Hilltoppers with 8-0 shutout  

Byline photo of Addisyn Hartman
Addisyn Hartman, Sports Writer • April 1, 2026
Anna Baca
Batter prepares to swing, March 27, 2026.

New Mexico State Aggie Softball took on Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers to begin a season-pivoting three-game series on Friday, March 2 with both teams looking to extend their win streaks. 

Starting the first inning with a bang, a caught bunt pop-up gave the Aggies an almost immediate boost with an automatic out on WKU. This momentum carried on thanks to left-handed pitcher Faith Aragon, who holds a .424 batting average and 42 hits, landing her seventh and third, respectively, in Conference USA so far this season. 

With the Aggies now at the plate, the first pitch thrown by WKU immediately soared over the fence, locking in a home run by Devin Elam and a 1-0 NMSU lead, quickly followed with an (run batted in (RBI) double by Aragon to make the score 2-0 for NMSU.

Pitcher focuses on the game, March 27, 2026. (Anna Baca)

Aggie Skye Johnson snuck past WKU’s Annie White to snag yet another point on the bottom of the first inning. Johnson and the Aggies picked apart the Hilltoppers’ defense, despite having the best pitching staff in the conference this year.

Closing out a momentous first inning for NMSU with a  two-out home run hit, Jade Valladares soared past WKU’s outfield players and back in again to boost the score to 6-0.

Feeling the effects of a jam-packed first inning, the second and third sat quietly, highlighted by Aragon and WKU’s Rylan White dueling out lethal pitches while both defenses fought to strike out players.

Teammates celebrate together, March 27, 2026. (Anna Baca)

Currently, NMSU holds the 25th national spot in mid-major team rankings, a 17-16 overall record, and ranks fifth in Conference USA with a 7-3 league record.

As WKU traded out pitchers for the third time in this game, Aragon and the rest of NMSU’s offensive lineup continued to mount on the pressure. After a two-inning scoring drought, Johnson once again drilled the ball to WKU’s outfielders, but not before Elam slid back home to boost the score to 7-0 going into the fifth inning.

Now trying for a chance to finish the game early with a mercy rule shutout and NMSU filling all three bases, another hit by Elam sealed the deal for Valladares to run it in for an eight-run rule finish.

06_AnnaB_Softball_LowRes
Anna Baca
Pitcher throws the ball, March 27, 2026.

 

 

 

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About the Contributors
Addisyn Hartman
Addisyn Hartman, Sections Editor
Addisyn Hartman is a first year Journalism and Media Studies student at New Mexico State University. She was born and raised in Rawlins, Wyoming, but has lived in New Mexico for the past few years.  Addisyn has always loved reading but didn’t discover her interest in writing until taking her first journalism class in high-school, and she’s been in love with it ever since. She’s also passionate about many different sports – her favorites are swimming and hockey! Her main goal for her time at TRU is to bring more acknowledgement and awareness to women in various sports across the NMSU campus, as well as covering as many different sports as possible. Addisyn also hopes to learn as much as possible from her fellow writers and editors to build a career in sports journalism/PR. Some of her hobbies include playing guitar, shopping, watching superhero movies, and visiting new places.
Anna Baca
Anna Baca, Photojournalism Intern
Hello! Anna Baca is joining the Round Up as a photo intern. She has a strong passion for portrait and sports photography and enjoys capturing authentic emotion through her work. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Media Studies with a minor in Marketing. In high school, she earned an associate degree in Integrated Studies, which helped shape her academic and professional goals early on. Her interest in photography began in high school when she joined the yearbook and photographed school clubs and events. Through those experiences, she discovered how much she enjoys capturing meaningful moments and editing photos to tell compelling stories. Outside of photography, she is interested in marketing and hopes to become a digital advertising coordinator. In her free time, she enjoys playing basketball and traveling. She is excited to be part of the Round Up team and looks forward to learning and growing with the multimedia staff.