Box Score GREELEY, Colo. – The New Mexico State baseball team took on Western Athletic Conference foe Northern Colorado in a series-deciding finale on Sunday at Jackson Field. In a game that entered the final inning all tied up, the Aggies avoided extras with a four-run ninth that led the team to a 6-2 victory and series win over the Bears.
In a battle of the southpaws, NM State's (26-14, 11-4 WAC)
Alex Pinedo got the start on the mound to counter Keenan Lum for Northern Colorado (21-19, 5-10 WAC). Following a quiet first inning, the Aggies were able to get on the board in the top of the second.
Lum had not hit a batter in his first eight appearances of the season and proceeded to plunk the first two Aggie batters in the second inning. Then with runners first and third,
Marcus Still lofted a sacrifice fly to center to bring home the first run and put NM State ahead 1-0.
Northern Colorado was able to answer just one inning later. A fielder's choice put runners on the corners with two outs and the Bears saw a single to centerfield in the next at-bat bring in one run to tie the game up at 1-1 through three innings.
Over the next two innings, the Aggies were held scoreless and Pinedo tossed back-to-back one-two-three frames to preserve the tie ballgame. Then in the top of the sixth, NM State had a runner 90 feet from home plate when
Nick Gonzales knocked a sacrifice fly to left field that brought in the go-ahead run for a 2-1 lead.
The Aggie lead lasted into the eighth before the Bears were able to get back on the board. With two outs and a man on first, a pair of wild pitches moved the runner to third base. An infield RBI single followed and Northern Colorado had tied the game up at two apiece heading to the ninth.
In the top of the ninth, the Aggies looked to avoid extra innings for the second straight game.
Joey Ortiz led off the frame with a single up the middle and two walks, one intentional, followed to load the bases. The next batter,
Logan Ehnes, was also walked to bring in a run and NM State took a 3-2 lead.
With the bases still juiced,
Tristen Carranza stepped to the dish and laced a single through the left side to bring two more Aggies across the plate and put NM State ahead by three.
Marcus Still followed up with an RBI single of his own to expand the Aggies lead to 6-2 heading to the bottom half.
Brock Whittlesey came back to the mound in the bottom of the ninth, allowing one run and escaping a bases loaded jam as the Aggies beat the Bears 6-3. This marks the eight-straight WAC road series win for NM State dating back to April 24, 2016.
The Aggies outhit the Bears 12-9 in the finale and saw eight players reach base safely on the day. NM State's rotation combined for six strikeouts that brought the series total to 38, falling just one short of the series high this season of 39 set against Mississippi Valley State.
New Mexico State now remains on the road for a midweek contest in Tempe, Ariz. versus Arizona State on April 25, at 7:30 p.m. MT.
