The New Mexico State baseball team continued their winning ways as they completed the series sweep against Oakland University this weekend. The Aggies improved to 5-1 on the young season and ride a five-game winning streak into next weekend.  

Friday afternoon, the Aggies opened the series by quickly loading the bases in the bottom of the first inning. Following three straight singles to load the bags, it was Ryan Grabosch who was able to drive in a single run off a sacrifice fly out to give NMSU an early lead. The scoring continued an inning later when New Mexico native, Cal Villareal blasted a solo home run over the right field wall to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead. To kick off the third, right-handed pitcher, Rorik Maltrud would face the minimum while striking out two batters in the top half. After a couple batters reached base, Grabosch would record his second RBI of the game as he drove in Kevin Jimenez off a single.  

Holding the Golden Grizzlies scoreless in four straight innings, the Aggies would blow the lead open in the bottom half of the fourth. The offensive attack was started by Edwin Martinez-Pagani, who doubled off the fifth pitch he saw. Three pitches later, shortstop Brandon Dieter would smash one over the wall to score two. The Aggies would go on to hit one triple, one double, and four singles to record a total of eight hits and eight runs in the inning to take command midway through the game. In the bottom of the fifth NMSU would add another run to their total off two walks and an error.  

The Oakland squad would see its first runs of the game when Brad Goulet hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth to cut the Aggie lead. An inning later Oakland was able to add another two runs after Alex Shadid replaced Maltrud on the mound.  

Failing to score in consecutive innings, NM State would head into the eighth inning holding a 12-4 lead. Eight batters and three singles later, the Golden Grizzlies would cut the lead to five as they would go on to add three runs to the scoreboard. Catcher Noah Funke would respond in the bottom half as he knocked a solo home run out of left field to grow the lead once more.  

To close the game Noah Estrella would take charge on the mound, facing four batters to end the game on a groundout as NMSU would win game one of the series 13-7. 

(look for “NM State scores 33 runs in series sweep against Oakland: Part 2″ regarding games two and three of the series).