STEPHENVILLE, Texas - Hoping to put an end to a seven-game losing skid, the NM State baseball team erased a four-run deficit by plating five runs in the sixth, but Tarleton answered with six runs in the home half of the inning to go on and earn a 12-8 WAC win Friday night at the Cecil Ballow Complex.
SCORING PLAYS
T1 | Following a brief rain delay, the Aggies got on the board. Kevin Jimenez and Ethan Mann drew back-to-back one-out walks from former NM State hurler Alex Pinedo, bring up Cal Villareal. The Aggies' outfielder did his job to perfection, punching an RBI single through the left side of the Texans' infield to hand the visitors a 1-0 lead.
B1 | Some early troubles from NM State starter Rorik Maltrud allowed the Texans to grab the lead. Two hit-by-pitches and a single loaded the bases for Blake Burns who produced an RBI groundout to tie the game. Reigning WAC Hitter of the Week London Green came up with an RBI singles off of Maltrud to give the home team the lead, and Colby Seltzer's sacrifice fly hiked the Texans' advantage tp 3-1.
B4 | A pair of NM State errors allowed the Texans to pad their lead in the fourth. Leadoff man Bryan Aguliar's squeeze bunt with runners on the corners pushed Tarleton's edge to 4-1 and Kemue Thomas-Rivera's RBI single added yet another unearned run to the hosts' total to put the Aggies in a 5-1 hole.
T6 | With the aid of the long ball, NM State found itself able to reclaim the lead. Noah Haupt hammered a pitch from Pinedo to right for a two-out, three run homer which cut the hosts' lead to 6-5. Ronnie Allen Jr., followed that up with a tiebreaking solo shot to hand NM State a 6-5 lead.
B6 | Just as the Aggies did in the top of the frame, Tarleton made use of a lopsided sixth to regain its advantage. Each of the Texans' six runs in the sixth came with two outs, beginning with a two-run single from Thomas-Rivera off of Laukkanen which put the hosts back in front 7-6. Each of the Texans' final four runs in the frame came without the benefit of a hit as Lyle Hibbitts issued a pair of bases-lodaed walks as well as a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to push the hosts' lead to 11-6. Brendon Rodriguez gave up another base-on-balls with the bags juiced to put the Aggies in a 12-6 hole before the inning came to a close.
T7 | Though they were able to cut into the Texans' lead, the Aggies' two-run seventh only cut the final score to four runs. Mann mashed and RBI double to left which was followed up with an RBI double off the stick of Villareal to cut the hosts' lead to 12-8.
AT THE DISH
• The heart of the Aggies' order did its job with Villareal going 3-for-4 with a trio of RBI. Mann added another two hits and pushed another run across the board for the Aggies in their eighth-straight setback.
• Zerek Saenz extended his hitting streak to eight games and reached base three times in the loss.
• Thomas-Rivera drove in three runs for the Texans on a 2-for-4 effort at the dish. Green reached base four times (two hits, two walks) while Seltzer and Dean Frew recorded two RBI each.
ON THE HILL
• It was Laukkanen (1-7) who got hit with the loss after giving up five runs on three hits and an equal number of walks. Maltrud worked the game's first four innings, amassing five strikeouts in that span.
• Though he surrendered six runs in as many frames, Pinedo secured the win for Tarleton. He fanned six and watched six runs cross home plate on five hits and four walks.
COMING UP NEXT
• The Aggies and Texans will continue their series with a pair of games Saturday afternoon from the Cecil Ballow Complex. First pitch for the WAC doubleheader is set for noon with the WAC's leader in complete games Chris Jefferson getting the ball to start for the Aggies.
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