BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The New Mexico State baseball team took on Western Athletic Conference foe CSU Bakersfield in game two of a three-game series on Saturday night at Hardt Field. The Aggies broke a scoreless tie with a five-run sixth inning and held on to the lead taking down the Roadrunners 9-3.
Southpaw
Jonathan Groff got the start for NM State (18-13, 5-3 WAC) against usual closer Naithen Dewsnap making his first career start for CSU Bakersfield (10-19, 1-4 WAC). The game opened with a pitcher's duel holding the game scoreless through the first five innings. Groff remained hitless until the fourth frame and tossed four one-two-three frames in his first five innings of work.
NM State was able to get on the board in the top of the sixth getting on base with back-to-back bunts and an errant throw putting runners on the corners with no outs.
Trey Stine then lofted a sacrifice fly to left field to score one run and break the scoreless tie.
Following two hit batters, the Aggies then had the bases loaded with just one out in the sixth.
Caleb Henderson proceeded to lace a double down the right field line to bring two baserunners across the plate and expand the lead to 3-0.
With runners on second and third and still just one out, the Roadrunners went to the bullpen looking to escape the jam. The reliever had a wild pitch that scored the Aggie from third and in the next at-bat;
David Bellamy added an RBI single to bring home the final run of the frame to put NM State ahead 5-0 through six.
The lead was added to in the seventh inning when
Joey Ortiz and Stine led off with a pair of singles. Henderson then stepped to the dish and roped a double to left to plate both runners. An error on the next play brought home the Aggie from second and the Crimson & White went up 8-0.
This momentum continued to lean in favor of the Aggies as
Logan Bottrell laced a single through the right side in the eighth inning. The single led to a pickoff error that saw the CSUB catcher air mail a throwing attempt moving Bottrell to second base. Stine then continued to have a strong night at the plate with an RBI single to give NM State a 9-0 advantage that lasted into the ninth.
CSUB looked to make a late comeback in the bottom of the ninth. The scoring began with a double to right center to get the first run on the board for the 'Runners bringing in the runner from first. Two more RBI base hits cut into the Aggies lead, but that would be it with the game closing to the tune of a 9-3 victory.
Groff (6-2) earned the win after tossing 8.0 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits. The Aggies were led at the plate by Henderson and Stine who each went 3-for-4 and combined for six RBI.
New Mexico State returns to Hardt Field for the series finale against CSU Bakersfield on Sunday, April 8, at 1 p.m. MT.
