TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The New Mexico State baseball team opened a three-game series at Alabama with a doubleheader on Friday at Sewell-Thomas Field. NM State split the two-game set with a 3-0 victory in the opener before falling 3-1 to close out the day.
 
GAME ONE
Justin Dehn pitched a gem for New Mexico State in the first game of the doubleheader as the Aggies recorded the program's first win over a Southeastern Conference team Friday afternoon with a 3-0 shutout of Alabama.
 
NM State was 0-5 previously against SEC teams, losing two to Arkansas, one to Kentucky and two recently to Mississippi State on its SEC road swing.
 
The 6-5 righty pitched 7.2 scoreless innings and gave up just four hits with a pair of walks and five strikeouts before giving way to Brock Whittlesey – who picked up his first save of the season for the third combined shutout of the season for the Aggie pitching staff.
 
Both starting pitchers were lights out, scattering nine hits through six full innings of action before NM State drew first blood in the seventh.
 
After a groundout to start the frame, Caleb Henderson was hit on a 2-2 pitch. David Bellamy then singled through the right side, which put runners on first and second for Braden Williams. With the count full, Williams laced an RBI single into left center to score Henderson from second and put runners on the corners for Nick Gonzales.
 
But, before Gonzales was able to take the plate, the Alabama skipper yanked his starter and turned to his 6-6 reliever Kyle Cameron. However, the hot-handed Gonzales - who was 2-for-2 heading into the at-bat – worked a hitters count and pulled a 3-1 pitch into left field which brought home Williams for the 2-0 lead.
 
With two outs in the same half of the inning, Logan Ehnes loaded the bases after drawing the walk for Mason Fishback but the Crimson Tide reliever was able to get out of the jam.
 
Dehn continued to deal for NM State, retiring the Alabama batters in order before the Aggies plated an insurance run in the top of the eight when Henderson sent Marcus Still – who pinch-ran for Noah Haupt after he led off the inning with a double – home on a sac-fly to center.
 
The junior hurler sent 10-straight Crimson Tide batters down in order until he was relieved by Whittlesey after giving up a deep single to left-center with two outs in the eighth.
 
With three outs remaining, the Crimson Tide tried its best to rally past the Aggies and put runners on first and second before Whittlesey shut the door on Alabama to secure the 3-0 victory.
 
GAME TWO
The second game of the day saw NM State send Kyle Bradish to the bump to take on Alabama right-hander Jake Walters. Just like game one, the pitchers were dominant to open combining to allow just two hits and no runs through the first three innings.
 
Alabama then struck first in the bottom of the fourth when a walk and single put a pair of runners on with no outs to begin the frame. A wild pitch moved each runner into scoring position before a liner to third produced the first out of the inning.
 
The second wild pitch of the inning brought home the first run of the game and put a man on third. This was followed by an RBI single to center which brought the runner across the plate and put the Aggies down 2-0 after four.
 
NM State was able to cut into the deficit just two innings later when Trey Stine knocked a one-out double down the right field line to get in scoring positon. Caleb Henderson then stepped to the dish and roped a double down the opposite line to bring home Stine and the Aggies trailed by just one, 2-1, at the end of the sixth.
 
The one-run hole for NM State grew deeper in the bottom of the seventh with Alabama adding to the lead. With two outs in the frame and a runner on second, the Crimson Tide saw a single to left field bring another run across the plate and put the Aggies behind 3-1.
 
This lead would stand as the Aggies were held scoreless the remaining two innings to give them the split on day one in Tuscaloosa.
 
Bradish (2-1) was charged with his first loss of the season but was still able to record nine strikeouts, which puts him in the national lead with 42.
 
New Mexico State and Alabama close out the three-game weekend series on March 10 with first pitch slated for 12 p.m. MT.