New Mexico State outlasts Tarleton in extra innings, 11-10

(Courtesy: NMSU Athletics)

STEPHENVILLE, Texas – The NM State Aggies defeated the Tarleton Texans in an 11-inning game 11-10 on April 16 in Stephenville, Texas. The Aggies earn the second extra innings win on the season.

Cade Swenson earned his seventh start of the season on the mound for the Aggies, after retiring the first batter the Texans two-hole hitter doubled to right center. The following Texan was then walked to put two Texans on. Cris Enriquez then homered to right center to give the Texans a three to zero lead in the first.

With back-to-back singles from Nick Gore and Mitch Namie in the second frame, which set up Logan Gallina to blast a three-run home run to tie the game. This was Gallinas fourth home run on the season, second in the past four games.

Kade Benavidez singled but eventually was called out at second on a fielder’s choice from Edwin Martinez-Pagani. Romeo Ballesteros was then hit by the pitch to put two Aggies on for CUSA hitter of the week Keith Jones II, he made the Texans pay as he doubled down the right field wall to score both Martinez-Pagani and Ballesteros and give the Aggies a two-run lead. These two RBIs were Jones’ 12th in the past four games.

In the third with two outs remaining Gallina launched his second home run of the game over the right field wall to put the Aggies up by three. The last time Gallina hit two home runs in the same game was May 20, 2022, against Utah Valley.

Starting pitcher Swenson was taken out of the game in the bottom of the fourth after giving up a leadoff triple then a double to score the runner on third and a hit-by-pitch to put runners on first and second. He was replaced by Matt Romero.

With a double steal put on coupled with a chopped ground ball to second the Texan runner on second managed to score to cut the Aggies lead to just one run with five innings left to play.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Texans led off the inning with a single and a walk. With a fielder’s choice to get the runner on first out at second and the runner on second managed to advance to third. The Texans had a bloop single to tie the game up at sixes a piece.

With two runners on Romero walked a Texan to load the bases, he was then taken out of the game leaving one more out to get in the fifth for Aaron Treloar. The first pitch that Treloar threw was a passed ball to advance all runners and give the Texans the lead.

With back-to-back-to-back singles from Namie, Gallina and Benavidez the Aggies managed to load the bases with no outs to lead off the sixth. Martinez-Pagani hits a sacrifice to fly to center field to tie the game at 7-7.

After walking the leadoff batter in the sixth, that batter managed to steal second and third to be in prime position for the Texans to hit a single through the right side and regain the lead. On a failed pickoff attempt the Texan that singled managed to get all the way around to third. Followed by that was a walk to have runners on first and third. With a sacrifice fly to right field the Texans managed to go up by two in the sixth inning.

In the seventh, Zach Zwaschka came into the game on the mound for the Aggies. After a walk and back-to-back sacrifice bunts with the second bunt scoring a run, the Texans took a three-run lead after seven.

Benavidez reached on an error in the eighth, a single from Martinez-Pagani advanced Benavidez. Jones would then single on a high pop fly down the left field line that fell in-between the shortstop and leftfielder to give the Aggies their eighth run of the night.

In the top of the ninth, Hale reached on an error followed by a single from Namie. A wild pitch would advance both runners to second and third for Gallina, however he lined out to become the second out of the inning.

Benavidez had a four pitch walk to load the bags for the Aggies and Martinez-Pagani came up big with a two RBI single to tie the game to force Tarleton into the bottom of the ninth.

Hayden Lewis came into the game on the mound for the Aggies in the bottom of the ninth. He would only allow one hit in the ninth to hold Tarleton scoreless to send the game into extras.

With both teams going scoreless in the tenth, the game would continue onto the 11th inning where Gore led the Aggies off with a hit-by-pitch. Namie followed up with a single through the right-side advancing Gore to second. With a walk from Gallina the Aggies loaded the bases in the bottom of the 11th.

With bases loaded Head Coach Jake Angier called Preston Godfrey into the game to pinch hit and Godfrey had an excellent plate appearance drawing a walk to put the Aggies up by one.

In the bottom of the 11th Lewis walked the tying run with just one out in the inning. However, that walk would not matter as the Aggies would win the game in 11 innings.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Jones earned his 17th multi-hit game (2) and 14th multi-RBI (3) game of the season. He now has a nine-game hitting streak.
• Namie went 3-5 in the ball game recording his 10th multi-hit game. Namie now has a 17 game on-base streak.
• Gallina recorded three hits and four RBIs for his second multi-hit game and fifth multi-RBI game.
• Martinez-Pagani went 2-5 on the night with three RBIs for his sixth multi-hit game and sixth multi-RBI game.

UP NEXT:

The Aggies will play Tarleton for their second game on the week Wednesday, April 17 at 11 a.m. 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)