GREELEY, Colo. – New Mexico State (32-20, 20-6) hung on to take a series clinching victory over Northern Colorado (15-32, 10-12) with the 18-16 win. The 18 runs were a season high for the Aggies, who have now won a season-high 7 straight games.
 
Freshman Kyle Bradish earned his WAC-leading eighth win with the decision on Friday. The Goodyear, Ariz. native also struck out a career-high nine batters in his five-inning outing.
 
The Aggies jump out to a roaring start thanks to back-to-back walks of Daniel Johnson and Greg Popylisen to start the game. Dan Hetzel drove in Johnson with a single to right field. A Mason Fishback walk to load the bases chased the UNC starter from the game after just one-third of an inning. L.J. Hatch reached safely on a fielder's choice, Popylisen scored on an E1. Trey Stine drew a four-pitch walk, scoring Hetzel. Joseph Koerper reached on a 6-4 fielder's choice with Stine out at second, but Fishback scored. All told, the Aggies scored four runs in the first inning.
 
UNC got a run back in the bottom half, as they drew a leadoff walk. A single to third advanced the runner to second, and later scored him on a base hit to left center.
 
NM State added an insurance run in the second as Daniel Johnson led off with a single up the middle, and later stole his conference-leading 27th base. A single to left by Austin Botello scored Johnson, putting the Aggies up 5-1.
 
The Bears got another run back in the home half. After watching the first pitch for a strike, UNC blasted a solo shot to left center.
 
As has been the case all series, the Aggies answered right back in the third. On a 0-2 count, Trey Stine launched his own solo round-tripper to left center, putting NM State up 6-2.
 
UNC cut into the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff single to left. The Bears got single to short, but the lead runner advanced to third on an E6 throwing error. A sacrifice bunt scored one run and moved the runner to second. On a 1-2 count, the Bears launched a two-run moon shot to left center. After four innings, the Aggies still led 6-5.
 
NM State looked to have broken the game wide open in the fifth, as Trey Stine singled through the left side of the infield. Joseph Koerper drew a full count walk. Brent Sakurai singled through the right side of the infield to load the bases with two outs. Daniel Johnson cleared the bases with a three-run triple to deep right field. On a full count, Greg Popylisen unloaded on a two-run tank to left center, his first home run of the season. After five innings, the Aggies led 11-5.
 
The Aggies continued to pile on in the sixth as Mason Fishback launched a solo shot to left. L.J. Hatch drew a full count walk, and advanced to second on a wild pitch during the next at-bat. Joseph Koerper singled through the left side of the infield, scoring Hatch. On the first pitch he saw, Brent Sakurai blasted a two-run bomb to left, his first of the season. After five and a half, the Aggies led 15-5.
 
The Bears showed a little life in the bottom half as they cut into the lead with two runs. The first batter reached on an E4. A single and a walk loaded the bases with two outs. A single up the middle scored two runs, cutting the lead to 15-7.
 
UNC kept chipping away at the lead in the seventh, as back-to-back singles put runners on first and second with no outs. The Bears hit a single up the middle, and the batter advanced to third with both runners scoring on an E8 throwing error. The third run of the inning scored on a wild pitch during the next at-bat. After seven innings, UNC had cut the lead to 15-10.
 
The Aggies added two insurance runs in the eighth, as Brent Sakurai drew a 3-1 leadoff walk, and advanced to second on a wild pitch during the next at-bat. Daniel Johnson reached first after being hit by a pitch. A wild pitch during the next at-bat moved the runners into scoring position. Austin Botello reached on a fielder's choice, as Sakurai avoided the tag at home scoring. Dan Hetzel grounded out to short, but scored Johnson and put the score at 17-10.
 
However, the Bears would not go away and cut the lead to one run in the bottom half. Three straight walks to start the inning loaded bases. A single up the middle scored two runs. On a 1-0 count, UNC unloaded on a pitch for a three-run homer to left center. A full count walk put a runner on base, and later scored the sixth run of the inning on a single through the right side of the infield. After eight innings, the Aggies held on to just a 17-16 lead.
 
The Aggies managed to put up one more insurance run in the ninth. On a 2-2 pitch, Trey Stine blasted his second home run of the day to left field, putting NM State up 18-16.
 
In the ninth, Joe Galindo shut down the Bears with a ground out and two strikeouts. Galindo earned the two-inning save, his seventh save of the season.
 
The two teams will face off in the series finale tomorrow at noon.