THE BASICS:                               
Score: NM State 11 – FIU 13
Records: NM State (17-19), (4-9) | FIU (21-17), (8-5)
Location: Presley Askew Field
Win: Ryan Cabarcas (5-3) | Loss: Saul Soto (3-2)
 
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Aggies lost 13-11 to the FIU Panthers late Friday night, April 19 in Presley Askew Field. The Aggies played their third 11 inning game in the last six games and second 11 inning game in the past three games.
 
The Panthers jumped out to a 10-run lead in the first three innings powered by a seven run third. The Aggies began their climb back in the bottom of the third as they managed to put up three runs.
 
After back-to-back singles from Kade Benavidez and Edwin Martinez-Pagani the Aggies put two on the base paths. After a fielder's choice hit by Romeo Ballesteros, the Aggies now had runners on first and third. With a throwing error by FIU's shortstop, Titus Dumitru managed to drive in both Benavidez and Edwin Martinez-Pagani. Nick Gore would then single to right field to drive in the Aggies third run of the game.
 
After a scoreless fourth, the Aggies stepped on the gas and put up five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Keith Jones II was able to reach on a fielding error to start the inning, with Dumitru up at the plate he was able to blast his second home run of the season to score Jones and give the Aggies five runs on the ballgame.
 
NM State loaded the bases with a Mitch Namie single, a Logan Gallina walk and another walk from Benavidez. With Martinez-Pagani at the plate, he knocked his third double of the season to score all three runners on the base paths to give the Aggies eight runs on the game and five runs in the inning.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Gallina singled to start the inning, he would then advance to second on a passed ball. Benavidez singled to advance Gallina to third. With runners on first and third Martinez-Pagani doubled to right center to score both runners, this was Martinez-Pagani's second double of the game and fifth RBI. With two outs in the inning Jones managed to improve his hit streak to eleven games on a ground ball that bounced just behind the pitcher giving him the ability to reach first base and score Martinez-Pagani to give the Aggies 11 runs on the game and the lead.
 
The Panthers tied the game up in the top of the eighth on an RBI single to even the game at 11 runs apiece.
 
Both teams were unable to score in the ninth sending the game into extra innings. With a scoreless tenth the game continued onto the eleventh inning. The Panthers managed to add two runs in the eleventh to take the lead to ultimately win the game.
 
They did so on, on a leadoff single then a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third. With a single through the left side to score both runners on second and third. The Aggies were unable to even the game in the bottom of the eleventh.
 
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• This is the Aggies' 3rd extra inning game this season.
• FIU tallied 20 hits, the most allowed by the Aggies in a game this season.
• As a unit, NM State pitchers totaled 15 strikeouts, led by a career-high seven K's from junior Brady Baltus.
• Martinez-Pagani went 3-5 with five RBI. Making this game both his seventh multi-hit game and seventh multi-RBI game of the season.
• Benavidez went 2-5 notching his third multi-hit game of the season.
• Baltus earned a season high seven strikeouts and a season long 4.0 IP.

 
UP NEXT:
The Aggies will face off against FIU in the second game of the three-game series on April 20, at 2 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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