LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State baseball team played host to Sul Ross State in a midweek contest at Presley Askew Field on Tuesday. A strong day at the plate saw the Aggies record 21 hits that led the team to a 14-8 victory over the Lobos.
 
NM State (24-13) started Justin Dehn in the midweek clash against Kole Vedder of Sul Ross State (19-15). Dehn made quick work of the Lobos in the top of the first before the Aggie bats got going in the bottom half.
 
A leadoff single to center by Logan Bottrell, followed by a walk and hit by pitch loaded the bases for Caleb Henderson with no outs in the bottom of the first. Henderson roped a double to left center to bring in the first two runs of the game. Then with two outs, a wild pitch brought in the third run of the frame. David Bellamy proceeded to knock an RBI single and a double to the gap from Brenden Williams brought in one more run for a 5-0 NM State lead.
 
A scoreless second held Sul Ross down five, but the Lobos began to produce at the plate in the third inning. A leadoff homer to left field got the Lobos on the board and opened the scoring in the frame. This was followed by an RBI single and then a two-run base knock to bring Sul Ross within one, 5-4. The scoring did not end there with two more RBI singles, which put the Aggies down 6-5 midway through the third.
 
NM State was able erase this deficit quickly, taking back the lead in the bottom half of the third. With runners on second and third and two outs, another wild pitch brought in the game-tying run. Trey Stine then laced a single down the left field line to bring home one more run and give the Aggies a 7-6 lead.
 
In the fifth inning, the Aggie bats got going again to expand their lead. NM State had two runners in scoring position with one out and Logan Bottrell knocked a double to left field to bring home both runners for a 9-6 advantage. Marcus Still followed that up with an RBI double as the Lobos went to the pen.
 
The reliever's first pitch saw a wild pitch move Still to third and Trey Stine connected on a double to centerfield to bring the man home. Before the inning was over, Henderson added an RBI double and a sacrifice fly brought home one more run for a 13-6 lead for the Crimson & White through five.
 
Sul Ross was able to chip away at the deficit in the top of the sixth when a double to the gap brought in one runner. This was all the Lobos could bring in at the end of the frame and then an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth regained the seven-run lead, 14-7, for the Aggies.
 
The Aggie relievers were able to hold the lead into the ninth and a solo homer was all the Lobo bats could muster with NM State walking away with a 14-8 victory. Pitcher Wyatt Kelly earned the win, the first of his Aggie career.
 
NM State racked up 21 hits on the day, featuring five Aggies with multiple base knocks. The Aggies also recorded eight doubles, which is the highest total since hitting seven against Saint Joseph's on March 5, 2010.
 
New Mexico State now opens a seven-game road swing to close out the month of April, beginning with a weekend series against Western Athletic Conference foe Northern Colorado, April 20-22, in Greeley, Colo.