Utah Tech suffered its first WAC loss of the season in a 9-7 home setback to New Mexico State on Friday afternoon at Karl Brooks Field. 
 
After spotting the Aggies an early 1-0 first inning lead, the Trailblazers (18-10/3-1 WAC) plated four unanswered runs to bolt out to a 4-1 advantage after three complete.
 
Rachel Campbell got Utah Tech on the board with a two-out, two-run triple in the second, while Shea Clements hit her team-leading fourth home run of the season with one out in the third.
 
Lauren Almeida just missed going back-to-back after she doubled off the top of the fence in left field. Then after an Aggie pitching change, Hannah Hughbanks doubled to left center to plate Almeida and stretch the Blazer lead to three runs. 
 
However that lead would be short-lived as NM State (13-11/2-2 WAC) tied the game at 4-4 in the fourth with a lead-off Riley Carley homer, and a two-run Devin Elam shot to center field. 
 
With the game tied at 5-5 in the seventh, the Aggies struck for four runs, with the big blow coming on a three-run Paige Knight homer to left that staked her side to a 9-5 cushion.
 
The Blazers mounted a charge in the their final at-bats, when after a lead-off Almeida walk and another Hughbanks double, LB Kahahawai-Kekona doubled home both base runners to cut the deficit in half. However that would be as close as Utah Tech would get as Aggie reliever Aydenne Brown (S, 1) retired the next three Blazer hitters she faced to end the game. 
 
Hughbanks finished the day 3-for-4 at the plate, while Kahahawai-Kekona collected two hits and three RBI as UT pounded out 10 hits in the game. 
 
The two teams will wrap up the series with a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 12 noon.