SAN MARCOS, Texas - A first-inning grand slam by NM State shortstop Brandon Dieter had the Aggies feeling great out of the gates, but Texas State turned walks into runs early on to battle back and took the lead for good by making use of a three-hit, two-run seventh in the Aggies' 8-6 setback Tuesday night at Bobcat Ballpark.
SCORING SUMMARY
T1 | One swing of the bat in the Aggies' first set of at-bats helped the visitors get the jump on the Sun Belt's West division favorites. A one-out single by Connor Laux was followed up with an Ethan Mann hit-by-pitch before Tommy Tabak took a two-out walk to load the bases. Brandon Dieter did the rest, launching a grand slam off of the first pitch he saw from Bobcats' starter Garrett Hermann to stake the visitors to an early 4-0 lead.
B2 | The only time Mejia ran into trouble came in the home half of the second. The right-hander issued three consecutive walks to start the frame and that allowed the Bobcats to narrow the gap. Peyton Lewis shot a two-run double past a diving Ethan Mann at first before Bryce Bonner made it a one-run game (4-3) with his RBI groundout.
B5 | More walks meant more runs for Texas State who tied the game in the home half of the fifth. Cameron Gibbons took a leadoff base on balls from Mejia before moving to third on a hit-and-run play. Another walk by Mejia loaded the bases and set up Jaxon Williams who produced an RBI groundout to knot matters at 4-4.
T6 | It didn't take too long for the Aggies to regain the lead. Kevin Jimenez started the sixth with a single, Ethan Mann followed with an eight-pitch walk and Tabak took over after that. The outfielder sent a bunt single down the third base line and Tony Robie's throw to try and get Tabak at first went under the glove of Jose Gonzalez which allowed Jimenez to cross home. Before the inning came to a close, Jason Bush extended the Aggies' lead to 6-4 by putting on the squeeze play to score Tabak.
B6 | Texas State battled back again, getting a timely hit to tie things up for the second time. Consecutive one-out singles by Bonner and Gibbons placed runners on the corners and after Gibbons swiped second, Justin Thompson dropped a two-out, two-run single into left to make the score 6-6.
B7 | The Bobcats completed their comeback by tacking on two runs in the seventh. Wesley Faison's one-out RBI double sent the game-winning run home before Bonner added an insurance run with an RBI single to make matters 8-6.
AT THE DISH
• Dieter, Laux and Tabak paced NM State's seven-hit night by generating two base knocks each. NM State's lone extra-base hit of the night was Dieter's first-inning grand slam.
• A pair of Bobcats, Bonner and Thompson, each finished with two hits and two RBI each. Lewis' lone hit of the night produced two more runs and helped Texas State out-hit the Aggies by an 8-7 margin.
ON THE HILL
• The NM State debut of Mejia lasted 4 1/3 innings and saw the freshman give up four runs on six walks and a pair of hits while striking out a pair.
• Mejia's six walks were all but one of the seven the Aggies' staff issued on the night. Four of those walks turned into Texas State runs by the time all was said and done.
• Josh Laukkanen dropped to 0-2 on the year after giving up four runs on five hits through 1 2/3 frames of relief work.
• The last two pitchers the Bobcats sent out to the hill got the job done for the home team. Otto Wofford fired 2 2/3 frames of one-hit, three-strikeout ball to secure his first win of the year. Tristan Stivors came on and needed just six pitches in the ninth to collect save number two.
COMING UP NEXT
• College Station, Texas, is the Aggies' next - and final - stop on their seven-game swing through the Lone Star State. Friday evening NM State begins a three-game set at SEC foe Texas A&M from Blue Bell Park. First pitch is set for 5:30 p.m. MT.
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