LAS CRUCES, NM. — Despite a strong 2-for-4 day from Ethan Mann, the NM State Aggies dropped the series opener to UTRGV 8-5, Friday afternoon at Presley Askew Field.
Mann also drove in a pair of runs for the Aggies (14-25, 11-14 WAC) and hit his sixth home run of the season, a towering blast to left.
The difference in the contest was a pair of Vaqueros (22-17, 13-8 WAC) two-run home runs in the second and fifth inning respectively.
SCORING SUMMARY
T2: UTRGV struck first on a two-out solo homer from Jacob Hirsh.
T3: The Vaqueros added to their lead in the third using a leadoff single from Jacob Flores and a two-run shot from Coleman Grubbs to take a 3-0 lead.
B4: NM State got on the board in the home half of the fourth, on Mann's moonshot to left center field. After the home run, Cal Villareal followed with a single and advanced to second on a Ronnie Allen Jr. walk. Brandon Dieter lifted a deep fly ball to right center that placed the outfielder on third, allowing him to score on Britt Graham's bunt.
T5: After retiring the first two batters of the fifth, Malturd faltered a bit in the fifth, allowing a two-out single to Angel De La Cruz. Andy Atwood answered the base-knock with a two-run blast to left that gave the visitors a 5-2 lead.
B5: A two-out walk by Zerek Saenz, a wild pitch and an RBI single down the left field line from Kevin Jimenez brought the Aggies to within 5-3.
T7: The Vaqueros took control of the contest in the seventh, striking for three runs on four hits. The big hit was De La Cruz's double with runners on the corners and nobody out that plated a run and placed two more runners in scoring position. UTRGV eventually scored Atwood and De La Cruz later in the frame.
B8: Needing a spark, the Aggies used a leadoff Jimenez walk followed by a double from Mann to cut the UTRGV lead to 8-4.
B9: Tommy Tabak singled with two outs and later scored on a Saenz single to bring NMSU to within three, but a strikeout ended the mini Aggies rally.
ON THE MOUND
• Sophomore Rorik Maltrud (2-3) took the loss Friday, throwing six innings of five-run ball. The righty struck out three.
• Hayden John and Nick Rodgers combined to throw two scoreless innings of relief for the Aggies. John worked around a leadoff walk and recorded a pair of strikeouts, while Rodgers fired a perfect 1-2-3 ninth.
• Kevin Stephens (5-4) earned the win for UTRGV. The redshirt senior pitched seven innings, allowed three runs and struck out seven.
AT THE DISH:
• Three Aggies recorded multiple hit days, led by Mann's 2-for-4, 2 RBI performance. Saenz (2-for-4, run) and Tabak (2-for-4) were the other two Aggies with multiple hits.
• With his two RBI performance, Mann has now driven in 37 runs this season.
• Saenz is now hitting an even .400 on the season. The Las Cruces native scored his 33rd run of the season and needs just two more hits to reach 60 for the season.
• The Vaqueros were led by Atwood, Grubbs and Hirsh who each drove in multiple runs. Atwood was 3-for-5 on the afternoon and also scored twice.
COMING UP NEXT:
• The Aggies and Vaqueros will play a pair of games tomorrow at Presley Askew field. Saturday's opener of the doubleheader will be seven innings while the nightcap will be a traditional nine inning affair. Chris Jefferson is scheduled to take the ball for NM State in game one, followed by Sammy Natera in game two. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. from the 'Skew.
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