LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Despite overcoming an early four run deficit and a three-run home run from infielder Ethan Mann, the NM State baseball program dropped a tough 10-4 contest Friday afternoon at wet and windy Presley-Askew Field.

What started as another picture perfect Las Cruces afternoon, took a turn for the worst in the top of the third inning. In a scoreless game and a pair on and nobody out, the game entered what turned out to be a two hour lightning and weather delay in the third.

Once the game restarted, Aggies (19-28, 16-17 WAC) starter Rorik Maltrud allowed back-to-back RBI singles that gave CBU (32-13, 24-5 WAC) a 2-0 lead. The Lancers added a pair of a one-out sac fly and a two-out fielding error.

Looking to cut into their deficit, the Aggies answered with three runs in the third, using back-to-back singles with one out by Zerek Sanez and Kevin Jimenez to set the table for Mann. The infielder smoked a 1-1 offering from Chris Burica for a three-run bomb to left. The blast was Mann's team-leading 10th of the season.  

After a scoreless fourth from Maltrud, the Aggies tied the contest at four, using a leadoff single from Ronnie Allen Jr, a one-out single from Tommy Tabak and an RBI single from Sanez.

Maltrud worked around a pair of singles and walk to strand the bases loaded in the fifth, but the Aggies went down in order in the home half of the fifth.
CBU ultimately took control of the contest in the sixth striking for five more runs. With the weather worsening, Josh Laukkanen entered and ultimately walked the only two batters he would face.

After Ian Mejia was summoned from the bullpen, the Lancers used a fielding error on a sac bunt and back-to-back hits to take a 7-4 lead before an out was recorded. The Lancers added two more unearned runs to take a 9-4 lead.

The Aggies continued to battle over the final third of the game, but ultimately could not string together enough big hits to claw back into the contest, as the visitors added a run in the ninth to seal a 10-4 victory.

AT THE PLATE:
• In addition to regaining the WAC lead in homers, Mann also recorded three more RBIs Friday to bring his league-leading total to 49.
• With his two-hit performance, Saenz's average sits at .384 for the season. The .384 mark is the best in the WAC.
• Saenz has recorded a WAC-best 68 hits.
ON THE MOUND:
• The Aggies turned another double play today. The twin killing was their 45th of the season.
• The Aggies entered the weekend fourth in the nation in double plays.
• Maltrud earned a no-decision today.
• After allowing the three unearned runs in the sixth, Mejia rebounded for a pair of scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth.
• The righty has now allowed no earned runs in seven of his nine appearances.


UP NEXT:
The Aggies and Lancers continue the four-game set Saturday afternoon with a pair of contests at The 'Skew beginning at 1 p.m. Senior Chris Jefferson takes the hill for the Aggies in the seven inning opener, while Sammy Natera will toe the rubber for the Aggies in the nightcap.