Box Score THE BASICS:
Score: NM State 2 – Nebraska 14
Records: NM State (10-12), (1-2) | Nebraska (16-5)
Location: Hawks Field at Haymarket Park
Win: Brett Sears (4-0) | Loss: Josh Sharman (1-1)
LINCOLN, Neb. - The Aggies fell to Nebraska 14-2 in game one of the three-game series March 22 in Lincoln, Neb. Two five run innings propelled the Cornhuskers to the sixteenth win of the season.
The start time of the game was initially 5 p.m. MT but was moved up two hours to 3 p.m. MT due to cold temperatures in Lincoln, Neb.
Left-handed pitcher Josh Sharman earned the nod on the mound as he went three up, three down in the first and second innings of the game. He would then give up a solo home run in the bottom of the third to give the Cornhuskers their first lead of the ballgame.
The Cornhuskers bats would stay hot as Cayden Brumbraugh hit a two-run single to left field to move the Cornhuskers lead to three runs. Still in the third, Garrett Anglim would hit another two-run single to left field to put the Cornhuskers up five.
In the bottom of the fourth Cade Swenson entered the game with runners on first and third. On the first pitch that Swenson delivered the Cornhuskers managed to knock a one-run single. In Sharman's 3.1 innings pitched he allowed seven runs on six hits striking out four Cornhuskers.
In the seventh Brady Baltus entered the game on the mound for the Aggies, joining him, Thomas Teel made his first appearance behind the plate for the Aggies. Swenson threw for 2.2 innings allowing three hits and no runs and struck out two of the 10 Cornhuskers he faced.
After holding the Cornhuskers to no runs for two innings, they would then score one run in the seventh on a ground out to the Aggies second baseman Gianni Horvat. With two outs the Cornhuskers managed to get one more across on an RBI single, to extend their lead to nine runs.
In the eighth Cho Tofte entered the game as the fourth pitcher for the Aggies. Baltus threw for one inning giving up two runs on three hits. The Cornhuskers managed to add two more runs on two RBI singles in the eighth off Tofte.
The Cornhuskers would then hit a three-run home run to go up by 14 over the Aggies in the bottom of the eighth. Tofte was then taken out of the game and replaced by Zach Zwaschka.
In the top of the ninth Mitch Namie managed to give the Aggies their first run of the game on a walk with bases loaded. Romeo Ballesteros was the runner that scored, Ballesteros also reached on a walk.
Center fielder Damone Hale drove in the Aggies second and last run of the ballgame on a single to left field that scored Titus Dumitru.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- Horvat earned his first stolen bag of the year stealing second in the third.
- Nick Gore threw out Anglim trying to steal second, his fifth CSB of the year.
- Teel earned his first appearance behind the plate this season.
UP NEXT:
The NM State Aggies will play Nebraska in game two of the three game series on March 23 at 1 p.m. MT. For complete coverage of NM State Baseball, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics – and follow us on Twitter (@NMStateBaseball), Instagram (@NMStateBaseball) and like us on Facebook (NMState Baseball)
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