The Basics
Game Seven
Score: Prairie View A&M 7, NM State 6
Records: Prairie View A&M (3-5); NM State (5-2)
Location: Las Cruces, N.M. (Presley Askew Field)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – After riding a five-game winning streak, the NM State baseball team fell to Prairie View A&M 7-6 on Friday night. The Aggies trailed by five runs heading into the bottom half of the ninth but a miraculous comeback fell just short.
The Panthers got out to a 4-0 lead with runs in each of the first three innings. Prairie View A&M plated a run in the first, another in the second, and a two-spot in the third.
Logan Gallina got the Aggies on the board in the fourth inning after a double to right-center scored
Nolan Funke from first.
Ryan Grabosch plated Gallina with a sacrifice fly to left to cut the Panther lead to two.
Responding quickly, the Panthers added a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to push their lead back to four runs.
Noah Estrella, Lyle Hibbits, and
Kaden Palmer combined to work 5.0 innings out of the bullpen, allowing just one run.
After Prairie View A&M plated a run in the top of the ninth, the Aggies had their backs against the wall heading into their last at-bats and trailing by five.
Edwin Martinez-Pagani launched a home run into the trees in right field to lead off the inning and get the NM State rally going.
After a walk from
Cal Villareal and
Brandon Dieter getting hit by a pitch, Gunner Antillion ripped a two-run double down the right field line for his fourth hit of the night. Funke drove in the fourth run of the inning with a ground out to the shortstop for the second out of the inning. With
Kevin Jimenez representing the tying run on third base, the Aggies' miraculous run drew to a close. On a 3-1 pitch, the final out of the ballgame was tallied on a ground ball to the first baseman.
Quick Hits
- Gunner Antillon and Brandon Dieter combined to go 7-9 at the plate.
- Antillon became the first Aggie to record four hits in a game for NM State this season. After his four-hit day, Antillon is hitting .483 on the season.
- Cam Blazek got his first start on the mound for NM State on Friday.
- Lyle Hibbits and Kaden Palmer both made their first relief appearances of the season for the Aggies, working the eighth and ninth innings.
- NM State bounced into three double plays.
- At 3:07, Friday's game was the second-longest of the season for NM State. Only opening day's 10 inning affair against UIC took longer.
- Seven of the nine Aggies in the starting lineup recorded a base hit.
On-Deck
NM State and Prairie View A&M will play a pair on Saturday with the first pitch being thrown at noon. All the action will be streamed on the WAC Digital Network, while Anthony Rifenburg will have the call on 91.5 FM KRUX.
For complete coverage of NM State baseball throughout the Aggies 2022 campaign visit
NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Baseball), Twitter (@NMStateBaseball) and Instagram (@NMStateBaseball).
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