LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The University of Maine baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader to New Mexico State University on Saturday at Presley Askew Field.
Maine twice held a lead in the first game but couldn't hang on, with a big eighth from NM State breaking it open.
The Black Bears got the 1-0 edge in the second after
Hernen Sardinas led off with a double and then scored two batters later on a
Colin Ridley sacrifice fly. The Aggies would answer in their second at-bats but Maine would push a run across the plate in the third and fourth. In the third, a
Danny Casals single to left scored
Jeremy Pena from second and then in the fourth,
Colin Ridley led off with a single to the right moved over on a sacrifice bunt from
Kevin Doody and scored on a Pena single up the middle three batters later.
NM State touched
Nick Silva up for a run in the bottom half of the fourth, with Nick Gonzales singling, stealing second and touching home on a single to center. With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, NM State plated three runs to grab a 5-3 lead on a three-run home run from Caleb Henderson.
But a big seventh from Maine made it 6-5 for the Black Bears heading into the eight. Singles from Pena and
Jonathan Bennett led to Pena scoring on a Casals double and Bennett on a
Brandon Vicens single. Sardinas then had a ball to the second that got bobbled and allowed Casals to come around.
Unfortunately, one run from NM State in the seventh and then four in the eighth – thanks in part to a three- run home run from Trey Stine would give the hosts a 10-6 lead that Maine could not overcome in the ninth.
Silva pitched 4.2 innings, allowing eight hits on five runs with four walks and four strikeouts. In relief,
Cody Laweryson pitched 1.2 innings, giving up one run on two hits, while
Connor Johnson went 1.2 innings giving up four hits on four runs. Five Black Bears had multiple hits in the game, with Casals and Sardinas both smacking doubles and Casals driving in two.
----
As it had done the first two games of the series, Maine scored first in the third game. After Pena reached on an error and moved to third on another error, he crossed home plate on a wild pitch.
The Black Bears held NM State off the board in the first wouldn't score again until the sixth inning, and in the meantime, the Aggies put up runs in five consecutive innings. After three runs in the second, the Aggies added one more in the third before putting up another four in the fourth as Stine's single to left center with two outs drove in two.
Maine got a home run from Vicens in the top half of the sixth and then a pass ball allowed Sardinas to score but NM State put up two more in the bottom half to negate the comeback.
NM State finished off its scoring with three runs in the third.
The Black Bears didn't go quietly into the night, though, showing some fight in the final two at-bats.
In the eighth, Sardinas earned a walk and moved around to third on two wild pitches before scoring on a sacrifice fly from Doody. In the ninth, Pena smacked a double up the middle and came around on a
Cody Pasic triple to right for Maine's fifth run. Casals then drove a ball over the left field fence to plate two more but that would be all for Maine and the game would end at 14-7.
Alex Pinedo pitched 5.2 innings for the Aggies in getting the win, allowing three runs – one earned – while striking out five and walking three.
Eddie Emerson pitched 3.0 innings for Maine, allowing four runs on four hits while striking out two and walking three before giving way to
Alex McKenney and
Trevor DeLaite in relief.
Maine (4-16) and NM State (12-8) wrap up the series tomorrow with a single game, which is set for a 2 p.m. EST first pitch.
-UMaine-
