By Marshall Mecham
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The New Mexico State baseball team (19-24, 8-13 Conference USA) earned a resounding 16-15 victory over the University of New Mexico (25-18-1, 10-7-1 Mountain West) at Santa Ana Star Field in Albuquerque in round three of the Rio Grande Rivalry Tuesday, April 28.
After the Aggies started strong by taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning, it was all Lobos until the top of the sixth frame. At this point in the game, the Aggies found themselves down 5-2 but they began to find some momentum.
Camden Kaufman helped NMSU get back in the game, as he hit a three-run home run to even the contest at five runs a piece. UNM managed to follow this up with a run in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-5 advantage.
NMSU then bounced back with an impressive four-run seventh frame to take a three-run lead, its largest of the night up to that point. Steve Solorzano was a hit by a pitch to start the inning and Aidan Taclas earned a walk directly after. They both scored following a Boston Vest bunt. Tommy Meluskey later came in and tallied a walk of his own before both him and Vest extended the lead to 9-6 thanks to a two-RBI triple from Kaufman.
Despite this, the Lobos answered with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to regain a 10-9 advantage entering the eighth frame.
Solorzano came up clutch in the top of the eighth, hitting an RBI that later helped send the contest into extra innings.
After a scoreless ninth, the teams were tied at 10 heading into the 10th inning. That’s when NMSU started to gain control, as Bryce Campbell came through with a three-run double. The Aggies then tallied three more runs in the inning to take a commanding 16-10 lead.
The Lobos did not go away though, as they scored five runs to bring the tying run into play. However, NMSU pitcher Dylan Weekly buckled down to record the final out and secure the 16-15 victory. The Aggies are now 3-0 against the Lobos this season.
NMSU pitcher Asa Briggs earned his first win and now has a 1-0 win-loss record. On the other hand, UNM pitcher Talor Grubbs took home the loss and fell to 1-2.
The Aggies will be back in action against Liberty (32-13, 15-6 CUSA) at 6 p.m. Friday, May 1, at home. This is the first of a three-game series.
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