LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State baseball team took on Western Athletic Conference opponent Seattle U in a series deciding game three on Sunday at Presley Askew Field. The Aggie bats exploded for six home runs, including four in the third inning, for a 12-2 victory in seven innings and the series victory over the Redhawks.
 
Following the great day at the plate and series win in the conference opener head coach Brian Green said, "Seattle has a great pitching staff and to get this series was huge. We are always confident at home and our offense really showed up against a great pitching staff that will be tough to face moving forward."
 
NM State (15-10, 2-1 WAC) rolled out usual Sunday starter Jonathan Groff to square off against Dawson Day for Seattle U (13-9, 1-2 WAC) in the series finale. Each pitcher came out and tossed a scoreless first inning with neither team able to move runners in the opening frame.
 
Then in the bottom of the second, the Aggies struck first. Following the leadoff batter being hit by a pitch, Trey Stine laced a double to right center to put runners on second and third with no outs. Caleb Henderson proceeded to knock a sacrifice fly to right field and score the man from third for a 1-0 Aggie lead.
 
Groff tossed another scoreless frame in the third before NM State's bats put on a light show in the bottom half. Marcus Still led off the half inning with a single right back at the pitcher and two batters later Noah Haupt roped a single to right center, which scored Still and gave NM state a 2-0 advantage.
 
With one man on and one out in the third, Mason Fishback stepped to the dish and crushed the first home run of the inning to left center off the scoreboard for a 4-0 lead. Following a Tristen Carranza single, Henderson added to the board when he turned on a pitch which he sent over the left field wall for a two-run shot. The next batter, Logan Ehnes, carried the momentum when he took the second pitch of his at-bat deep to right for a solo homer. Not done just yet, the Aggies saw Nick Gonzales add to the home run total with a solo shot that completed the back-to-back-to-back set of long balls and gave the Crimson & White an 8-0 lead through three.
 
After Groff and the Aggie defense forced a one-two-three fourth inning, the Aggie bats got going once more. A pair of one out singles up the middle put two runners on for NM State as Henderson again stepped to the plate. The first baseman added to his impressive totals with a moon shot that carried well over the left field wall for a three-run homer that put the Aggies ahead 11-0.
 
In the sixth, Seattle U looked to show some life on offense and cut into the NM State lead. With a pair of runners on, a passed ball put men on second and third for the Redhawks. The next batter grounded out to the infield but this brought home the man from third to get one run on the board for Seattle.
 
This one run was answered immediately in the bottom half of the frame by NM State. Tristen Carranza crushed his eighth home run of the season for a solo shot to left center to put the Aggies ahead 12-1.
 
Looking to escape the run-rule loss, the Redhawks led off the seventh with a triple to deep center field. The next batter popped a single just past shortstop to score the man and put Seattle down 10. However, Groff was able to settle down and keep the Redhawks off the board any further and secure the 12-2 victory in seven innings for the Aggies.
 
Groff (5-1) earned the win and tossed the first complete game for the Aggies since the senior did so for NM State back on May 7, 2017 at Utah Valley. The Crimson & White combined for 13 hits, including six homers, and was led at the dish by Henderson who went 2-for-2 with two home runs and six RBI.
 
New Mexico State now remains at home to take on WAC foe Sacramento State in a three-game weekend series, March 29-31, at Presley Askew Field.