LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State baseball team hosted in-state rival New Mexico for the 250
th playing of the Battle of I-25 on Tuesday night at Presley Askew Field. Four scoring innings, including three multi-run frames, and great pitching from the bullpen led the Aggies to a 13-5 win over the Lobos. This was the fifth-straight win for the Crimson & White over their rivals to the north, a feat that had not been accomplished since 2000-01.
For the midweek clash, NM State (17-6) sent Chris Jefferson to the mound to face off against New Mexico (12-12) right-hander Tristin Lively. Each pitcher struggled early and neither were able to make it past 2.0 innings of work.
After Jefferson escaped a jam in the top of the first that saw runners on second and third, the Aggie offense struck in the bottom half. A walk loaded the bases with one out and the national player of the week
Tristan Peterson stepped to the dish and continued his hot streak. The slugger crushed an absolute no-doubter over the wall in left field for a grand slam to give NM State a 4-0 lead into the next frame.
Then it was the Lobos turn to get on the board in the top of the second. UNM had men on first and second with only one out when a single through the left side put the opposition's first run up on the board. This was followed by two more RBI singles before a sacrifice fly to right closed the scoring and saw the game knotted at four runs apiece into the third inning.
NM State was then able to regain the lead in the bottom half of the third. With runners on first and second, a passed ball put both runners in scoring position. The man standing 90 feet from home plate was then brought in on an infield groundout to give the Aggies a 5-4 advantage.
Looking to expand the lead, the Crimson & White did just that with its highest scoring frame in the bottom of the fourth. A leadoff single forced the Lobos to go to the bullpen for the second time in the game. Just two batters later, the reliever saw a passed ball put men on second and third and then on a swinging third strike, another passed ball loaded the bases for Peterson.
With one out in the frame, Peterson opened the scoring on a single through the left side that brought home a pair of runs for a 7-4 lead. This left runners on first and second when
Noah Haupt sent a double to the gap in right to score one more run.
Logan Ehnes followed this up with a sacrifice fly to plate one more and
Eric Mingus closed out the scoring in the fourth with an RBI single to center to give NM State a 10-4 lead.
The top of the fifth opened with a plunked batter and a base on balls, forcing the Aggies to go the pen. The reliever allowed a single to his first batter to load the bases with no outs. A fielder's choice in the next at-bat scored a run, but then the Aggies limited the damage and escaped the jam still leading 10-5.
Neither side could get back on the board, until the Crimson & White added a few insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. A single and a base on balls led off the frame before
Tristen Carranza laced a single through the left side to score the first run. Peterson then continued his strong play at the plate with an RBI single of his own. The scoring closed with an infield groundout that put the Aggies up 13-5 heading to the ninth.
The Lobos hoped to get going at the plate in the final frame, but pitcher Matt Munden was not going to allow that as a double play and then a strikeout swinging closed the door to give the Aggies the 13-5 win over the Lobos. Reliever
Wyatt Kelley (2-0) picked up the win on the mound after tossing two no-hit innings.
Solid production at the plate saw the Crimson & White combine for 11 hits, led by Peterson who went 3-for-4 with one home run and seven runs batted in and
Nick Gonzales went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs scored.
The New Mexico State baseball team now gets back into Western Athletic Conference play, this time on the road, with a three-game weekend series at Chicago State, March 29-31.
