Steven Anderson knows his role and made the most of it yesterday.

The junior came off the bench as a pinch runner in the eighth inning, remained in the game at first base and drilled a three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to lead fourth-seeded New Mexico State over third-seeded Fresno State, 7-4, in the second game of the NAPA Auto Parts Western Athletic Conference baseball tournament yesterday at Les Murakami Stadium.

"I'm used to it over the course of the season," Anderson said of his role off the bench. "I started earlier (in the season), but this has been my role for the major part of the season, especially during conference so I'm getting used to it and I'm getting comfortable with it."

His eighth homer of the season snapped a 4-all tie and sent the Bulldogs, the defending league and College World Series champions, out of their comfort zone, making them a loss away from elimination.

Fresno State (28-28) will play top-seeded San Jose State at 3 p.m. today.

The Aggies (42-15) will play at 7 tonight against the winner of Hawai'i-Louisiana Tech.

The Aggies, who led all WAC teams with 116 home runs entering the game, had scored three of their runs on RBI singles and an RBI triple before Anderson's blast to left-center off a slider from FSU reliever Holden Sprague (6-4), who pitched 1 2/3 innings.

The Bulldogs led 3-2 entering the top of the eighth, when the Aggies went ahead on left-handed hitting Leo Aguirre's RBI triple that scored pinch runner Anderson (running for Mike Sodders, who had doubled to lead off the inning) off the left-handed Josh Poytress. Sprague replaced Poytress and promptly allowed an RBI single to Kyle Decater that gave NMSU a 4-3 lead.

But the Bulldogs tied it in the bottom of the eighth on Danny Muno's RBI single against Scott Coffman (3-0), who pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief.

In the top of the ninth against Sprague, Nate Shaver singled, took second when he avoided being tagged when Jeffrey Farnham grounded out to second. Bryan Marquez was intentionally walked and Anderson drilled a 1-1 pitch for the go-ahead, three-run homer.

Jake Wilson allowed a single and walk in a scoreless ninth for his third save.

NEW MEXICO STATE (42-15) 100 010 023—7 14 1

FRESNO STATE (28-28) 200 100 010—4 8 0

Daniel Simon, Scott Coffman (7), Jake Wilson (8) and Jeffrey Farnham. Matt Morse, Gene Escate (7), Josh Poytess (8), Holden Sprague (8) and Trent Garrison. W — Coffman (3-0). L — Sprague (6-4). S — Wilson (3).

Leading hitters — New Mexico State: Richard Stout 2-3, 2 runs; Nate Shaver 3-4; Bryan Marquez 2-4; Mike Sodders double; Steven Anderson homer, 2 runs, 3 RBIs; Leo Aguirre triple. Fresno State: Danny Muno 3-4; Dusty Robinson homer, 3 RBIs; Jordan Ribera 2-5; Trent Garrison 2-4.