-and-
Series rubber match scheduled for Sunday at 10 a.m. MT.
Source: NMSU Athletics
By Michael Navarrette
Photo: Courtesy
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico State | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0 |
| FIU Panthers | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | X | 8 | 13 | 0 |
MIAMI – NM State came out swinging in the top of the first, jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead, but the bats cooled off and FIU steadily pulled away, handing the Aggies an 8–2 loss Saturday night. The two sides will return to FIU Baseball Stadium on Sunday at 10 a.m. MT for the series-deciding contest.
The Aggies looked sharp early, with Brandon Forrester setting the tone by singling through the right side and stealing second. After a pair of outs, NM State strung together some timely offense as Bryce Campbell’s infield single moved Forrester to third, and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases. Forrester then stole home in a heads-up play, and Sheehan O’Connor followed with an RBI single to give the Aggies a 2–0 advantage.
Unfortunately, this would be the only inning the Aggies would muster any offense in as they were held to just six hits and no runs for the remainder of the bout.
FIU responded immediately in the bottom half of the first with a two-run home run from Keshon Frett to tie the game, and from there, the Panthers controlled the pace. Frett struck again with another two-run shot in the fourth to put FIU up 6–2 before the Panthers added two more insurance runs in the seventh.
The Aggies had their chances, leaving 13 runners on base, including a bases-loaded situation in the fourth inning. Bryce Campbell and Boston Vest each had multi-hit nights while Austin reached base three times with a hit and a pair of walks, but NM State couldn’t convert following the first.
Aggie pitching saw some bright spots out of the bullpen, with Connor Wylde recording seven strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work and Dylan Weekly and Jaden Davis combining to tally three strikeouts and no runs allowed across two innings of action.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
- Bryce Campbell recorded his ninth multi-hit game of the season in just 18 games played.
- Sheehan O’Connor was the lone Aggie to record an RBI, bringing his season total to 23.
- Saturday marked just the fourth time this season that the Aggies failed to score more than two runs and the first time since March 8 against Texas A&M.
- Boston Vest produced the fourth multi-hit game of his freshman campaign.
- Connor Wylde matched a career high in strikeouts with seven – a mark he set earlier this season at UNC Greensboro on March 19.
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