LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Outfielder Noah Haupt hung a season-high three hits on the board, but the NM State baseball team watched visiting GCU jump out to a 9-0 lead on its way to an 11-3 victory Sunday at Presley Askew Field.
The Aggies fell to 11-21 and 9-11 in WAC action with their sixth-consecutive loss and suffered their first sweep at the hands of a league opponent since April 28-30, 2017 (GCU).
SCORING PLAYS
T1 | Consecutive two-out doubles - including one of the run-scoring variety off the bat of Tayler Aguilar - handed the visitors a 1-0 lead after the first half-inning of play.
T4 | After NM State starter Cam Blazek got a groundout to start the fourth, the right-hander gave up three straight single to load the bases. The last of those singles caused a collision between Blazek and Aggie backstop Jason Bush, forcing the latter out of the game with an injury. GCU took advantage after that as Johnny Weaver ripped a two-run double past a diving Kevin Jimenez at third. The Lopes' lead increased to 5-0 after a fielding error at third allowed two more GCU runners to come in. The last of GCU's five runs in the frame came when Channy Ortiz came up with an RBI single with two outs to put the Aggies in a 6-0 hole.
T5 | Juan Colato socked a leadoff home run off of NM State reliever Hayden Johns before a double and two walks loaded the bases for the Lopes. Following sacrifice flies by Weaver and David Avitia, NM State had to try and mount a comeback while facing a 9-0 deficit.
B5 | Four of the home team's 11 hits came in the fifth, allowing NM State to pull within six runs of the Lopes. Haupt delivered a RBI single before second baseman Jake Baer followed up with one of his own. Brandon Dieter drove in his lone run of the afternoon with a fielder's choice ball to short which cut GCU's lead down to 9-3.
T8 | Jacob Wilson's one out RBI double coupled with an RBI infield single courtesy of Cade Verdusco allowed GCU to hang the game's final two runs on the board.
AT THE DISH
• With 27 combined hits, there was no shortage of quality at-bats for either side. Haupt's three-hit afternoon led NM State while Zerek Saenz extended his hitting streak to six games with a 2-for-3 day at the plate. Cal Villareal also finished with two of the Aggies' 11 base knocks.
• Five GCU players piled up multiple hits, including Aguilar who went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and an RBI.
• Weaver (2-for-4) pushed three runs across home plate for the Lopes who amassed 16 hits to complete their sweep.
ON THE HILL
• Making his first start as an Aggie, Blazek (1-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs (three earned) on seven hits in four frames of work. The sophomore recorded five strikeouts in his Sunday outing.
• Lyle Hibbitts worked another four innings for NM State, fanning three and giving up two runs on five hits and a walk.
• For GCU, Carter Young (6-0) kept his perfect record intact by firing six innings of three-run ball. Young walked just two and struck out five.
COMING UP NEXT
• NM State steps out of WAC play for a Tuesday trip to Pac-12 country. At 6:00 p.m. that evening, the Aggies will be in Tucson, Ariz., for a showdown with 16th-ranked Arizona.
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