Aggies lost game two of series 19-8

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- The NM State Aggies fell to the Sam Houston Bearkats 19-8 in game two of the three game series on Saturday, March 16 at Presley Askew Field. With six different lead changes in the ball game, the Aggies led for the first five innings.  

Earning the nod on the bump, Josh Sharman got to work early, striking out the first two Bearkats to begin the game. Sharman would only need to see the first three Bearkat hitters as he would go three up three down.  

In a marked shift from game one, Damon Hale knocked a single in the second at bat of the contest. Titus Dumitru stepped to the plate next and launched a deep double to left center field, scoring Hale and providing the Aggies' their first run of the weekend. 

In both the second and third Sharman would only need to see three batters each inning as he would remain perfect through the first three innings of today's contest.  

Sheehan O'Connor led off the third with a single up the middle. He would get advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Romeo Ballesteros and then be moved to third on a ground out from Keith Jones II. With O'Connor in prime position to score Hale would hit a single up the middle to score O'Connor for the Aggies second run of the day.  

Battling back in the fourth, Sam Houston added a trio of runs, taking a 3-2 advantage. Their lead would not last long, as Preston Godfrey launched a lead off blast to left center for his third home run of the year to knot it up 3-3. Jones reclaimed the lead on an RBI ground rule double to left center to score Edwin Martinez-Pagani.  

In the fifth Cho Tofte would enter the game in relief of Sharman. Sharmans final line of the game was four innings pitched, giving up six hits on five runs with three strikeouts and one walk. The Bearkats gained a one run lead in the fifth on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to enter the bottom of the fifth with a score of 5-4 in the Bearkats favor.  

With the Aggies down by one they would manage to once again take the lead from the Bearkats on a four-run inning, their highest scoring inning of the game. Godfrey would once again come up big to hit a two-run double to regain the lead. Martinez-Pagani would then switch places with Godfrey to score the Aggies third run of the inning.  

Martinez-Pagani would then be brought home on a single by Ballesteros for the fourth and final run of the inning. The Aggies were unable to score any more runs in today's contest after the fifth inning.  

In the top of the sixth Tyler Hoeft would enter the game. Tofte's final line would be one inning pitched only allowing one hit. Hoeft would be unable to make it out of the inning as he would be replaced by Aaron Treloar.  

In the sixth, the Bearkats notched five runs to take the lead from the Aggies on a single that scored one run, an error that scored two runs and a final single that scored the final two runs of the inning.  

In the seventh, Treloar would allow two more runs to be then replaced by Zach Zwaschka. Treloar would close out his outing with one inning pitched, allowing three runs on three hits with two strikeouts.  

The Bearkats managed to add six runs in the seventh to further increase their lead. In the Eighth the Bearkats bats would continue to stay hot as they would add three more runs on a three-run homer hit by Hunter Autrey.  

In the Bottom of the eighth the Aggies would need to score two runs to not be run ruled. Unfortunately, they would be unable to notch the two runs and the game would finish after eight innings played.  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: 

• Hale earned his fifth three-hit game of the season. 
• Titus Dumitru earned his second three-hit game of the season. 
• Ty Acton entered the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh, collecting his first collegiate hit.  
• Thomas Teel stepped into the batter's box in the eighth, recording his first at-bat for the Crimson & White.  
• Six different Aggie arms were featured on the mound.  
• Godfrey earned his second multi-RBI game of the season with 3 RBIs. 

UP NEXT: 
The NM State Aggies will be back at Presley Askew Field on Sunday, March 17, for game three of the three-game series against Sam Houston. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.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)