GLENDALE, Ariz. – The New Mexico State baseball team headed to the spring training facilities of the Chicago White Sox/Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch to take on Xavier on Sunday. A lead built from a five-run fifth inning was enough for the Aggies who held on to get the victory with a 6-4 decision over the Musketeers.
NM State (15-4) sent out usual Sunday starter
Chance Hroch to take on hard-throwing Xavier (6-11) right-hander Connor Grammes. What opened as a pitching duel featured four scoreless innings to open saw the Musketeers strand eight runners, including four in scoring position in the first four frames.
Then in the fifth inning, each side was able to get on the board. Xavier opened the scoring in the top half after a walk loaded the bases with one out. The opposition then saw an infield groundout plate the first run of the ballgame.
The Crimson & White answered this quickly in the bottom of the inning with a two-out rally. A plunked batter to load the bases was followed by a base on balls, where
Joey Ortiz was able to battle in a 3-2 count, which brought home a run and knotted the game up at one apiece. Another walk of
Nick Gonzales brought in the go-ahead run for the Aggies.
Some great plate discipline continued for the squad when
Tristen Carranza was hit by a pitch to score another run and the bases remained loaded. Xavier then decided to go to the bullpen, but the reliever was not able to get out of the inning when
Logan Ehnes beat out an infield grounder for an RBI single and
Tristan Peterson was walked to bring in the final run of the frame as the Aggies led 5-1 heading to the sixth.
This lead for NM State was expanded upon in the bottom of the sixth. The Aggies had a runner on second when Ortiz laced a single up the middle to score the man and give the Crimson & White a 6-1 advantage.
In the top of the seventh, Xavier looked to cut into the Aggie lead. A walk to load the bases with two outs forced NM State to go to the pen. The reliever walked the first batter to bring home a run for the Musketeers. This was followed by an RBI single and a plunked batter to bring home two more runs and the Aggie lead now stood at 6-4.
The two-run lead lasted into the ninth and then the Aggies brought in Friday starter
Brock Whittlesey to close out the game. The Aggies single-season record holder for saves set in 2018 picked up right where he left off in the closing role as he shut down any comeback hopes for the opposition to give NM State the 6-4 win over Xavier.
At the plate, the Aggies saw their first five batters in the order bring in at least one run, led by Ortiz who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored. On the mound, the record for Hroch (5-0) remains unblemished as he picks up the win with 5.0 innings of work and Whittlesey earned his first save of the season.
The New Mexico State baseball team now remains in the Grand Canyon State for a midweek clash with Arizona on Tuesday, March 19, at 6 p.m. MT in Tucson, Ariz. at Hi Corbett Field
