LAS CRUCES, N.M. – NM State came into the weekend series leading the conference in home runs per game (1.47) while ranking seventh in the nation in this category. That number will surely increase after the Aggies powered seven longballs on Friday – three from Kayla Bowen and two from Riley Carley – handing them a series win with a pair of victories against Sam Houston. 

Kayla Bowen is making a solid case for her second consecutive WAC Hitter of the Week Award after the fifth-year slugger went 5-7 on the day while smashing three home runs and driving in eight of the Aggies' 19 runs scored today. 

After failing to record a hit in game one, Riley Carley bounced back nicely in game two with a pair of longballs – her eighth and ninth of the year – including the go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth, tallying her fourth RBI of the game. 

Jillian Taylor (8) and Kendal Lunar (4) were the other two Aggies to record home runs on the day. 

Scoring came easy for both teams today; the two sides combined to score 33 runs on 44 hits, including 13 home runs in Friday's doubleheader. 

The Aggies took down the Bearkats 9-6 in game one of the series and came from behind in game two to secure a 10-8 victory, marking their second straight series win in as many weeks.  

GAME ONE | NM State 9, Sam Houston 6

First Inning

Felicia De La Torre got the starting nod in the circle, recording a strikeout to begin the game. After a Sam Houston hit, the Aggie defense set up a 6-4-3 double play to end the top half of the inning. 

Riley led off the bottom half of the inning for the Aggies and reached base successfully after an error by the Bearkats right fielder, advancing to second base in the process. With two outs and a runner on second, Kayla Bowen stepped into the box and launched her sixth home run of the season, giving the Aggies an early 2-0 lead. 

Second Inning

The Bearkats put a run on the board in the second with an opposite field solo shot to right, bringing the Aggies' lead back to one run. This would be all that Sam Houston could muster in the frame as De La Torre was able to escape the inning with just one run scored. 

NM State was able to load the bases on Sam Houston starter Daryn Grams in the second but couldn't plate any runs as the game progressed into the third inning with the score remaining 2-1. 

Third Inning

A walk and hit by pitch in the top of the third drew Kathy Rodolph out of the dugout and to the pitching circle to make a change. She elected to go with third-year Aggie Laurali Patane to help get the Aggies out of the jam. The first batter Patane faced drove a ball into right-center field for a three-run home run, giving the Bearkats a 4-2 lead over the Aggies. 

The Aggies got their leadoff hitter on via walk to begin their attack in the third inning. With two gone in the frame, Jillian Taylor stepped up the plate, looking to drive home Hannah Lindsay from first. Taylor drilled a ball into center field, sending it way out of the park for a two-run home run, tying the ball game at four apiece. 

Fifth Inning

The Bearkats got their first two batters on base in the top of the fifth. The next batter, Bailey Wasik, stepped to the plate and drove in another pair with a two-run homer, regaining the lead for Sam Houston. 

A leadoff double by Gabby Aragon got the Aggies started in their half of the fifth, bringing the Aggies' hottest hitter, Kayla Bowen, to the plate. Bowen continued her dominance in the batter box, launching her second two-run home run of the game -third in her last three at-bats – trying the ball game at six. Back-to-back singles, then put two more runners on the basepaths bringing Kendal Lunar to the box. Lunar smoked a ball up the middle, driving in two more runs and helping the Aggies regain their two-run lead. Keeping the line moving, Riley Carley added another run with a fielder's choice to the third baseman, driving in Kendal Lunar from third while giving the Aggies a 9-6 lead.  

GAME TWO | NM State 10, Sam Houston 8

First Inning

The Bearkats got each of their first four hitters to reach base in the first inning and drove in a pair of runs with a two-run homer just two batters into the game. This would prompt Kathy Rodolph to make a move to the circle, bringing in Aydenne Brown for Emily Dix. Brown quickly got two outs with a pair of pop-ups, but a two-out single by the bottom of the order added two more runs to the Bearkat lead.

Leading off the first inning for the Aggies was Riley Carley, who smoked a ball over the right field fence, giving the Aggies their first run of the ballgame.  

Second Inning 

A quiet inning by Sam Houston sent the Aggies back to the bat rack in the bottom of the second. A single and an error put two runners on the bases, allowing Jessica Carreon to advance them into scoring position with a sac bunt. Riley Carley reached via walk to load the bases bringing Kayla Bowen back to the plate with a chance to do more damage. Bowen laced a ball into right-center field for a double, clearing the bases in the process and evening the game at four apiece. Paige Knight followed Bowen's double with a two-bagger of her own, driving in Bowen from second and giving the Aggies their first lead of game two. 

Fifth Inning

After going three straight innings without allowing a run, the Bearkats finally got to Aydenne Brown with a one-out solo home run to center field, evening the ballgame at five apiece.

Sixth Inning

Sam Houston tacked on three more runs in the sixth after Ellie Grill doubled to left center, scoring a runner from second while allowing Tricia Yarotsky to drive in Grill with a two-run home run, giving the Kats an 8-5 lead.  

Kendal Lunar got a run back with a leadoff home run to right field – her fourth of the season – bringing the Aggies back to within two. Back-to-back singles by Carreon and Burton put two more Aggies on the base paths with still nobody out in the inning. This brought Riley Carley back to the dish looking to chip into the Sam Houston lead. Carley demolished a ball over the left field wall for a two-run home run, regaining the lead for the Aggies. Kayla Bowen immediately followed that with another homer of her own – her third of the day – to cap off the Aggies five-run sixth inning to give them a 10-8 lead. 

Numbers to Note

44 – Was the number of hits each team had.

33 – Both teams combined to produce 33 runs on Friday. 

13 – The two sides combined to hit 13 home runs. 

9 – Riley Carley stands alone as the team leader in home runs (9) after hitting a pair of long balls in game two. 

8 – is the number of RBI's Kayla Bowen had today. 

3 – Kayla Bowen added three more home runs to her season total (8). 

Up Next

NM State returns Saturday to close the weekend series against Sam Houston. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.