After getting bitten by the Lobos for the second time, up next for New Mexico State University was Jacksonville State University in an Easter weekend series as the season rolls towards an end. With a three-game losing streak, things were not looking so good for the Aggies as they were running out of time to go out with a bang.
It started on Thursday, as Jack Turner had his chance to take on the Gamecocks. The first inning alone, five runs went on the board, all with base hits from the bats of the Gamecocks’ Cooper Blauser, Brady Thomas, Ace Williamson and Grayson Ashe.
It only got worse when Matthew Cash blasted three-run home run for Jacksonville State. However, it was still not enough to get him taken out of the game. Aiden Lombardi and Brandon Forrester gave the Aggies life in the bottom of the third with Gianni Horvat getting the total to four with a sacrifice fly.
With a scoreless fourth inning for the Gamecocks and two more runs from Mitch Namie, the Aggies had clawed back to make it a 6-8 ballgame. That was until the fifth inning, where two more runs were enough to take Turner off the mound with only one out as Carson Thomas came in to try to stop the bleeding. He ended up allowing five more runs in the top of the sixth before getting his second out for Ian Hoslett. Simultaneously, Jaxson Davis for Jacksonville State was shutting down the Aggies offense in his stint, which allowed the Gamecocks to take control of the game again.
Compared to previous pitchers, Hoslett had the best outing, only allowing two runs in the eighth that got the score to an unreachable 17 runs for Jacksonville State. Despite scoring five more runs through the final three innings, the deficit was just too big and the Aggies lost their fourth in a row 17-12.
Friday’s matchup gave the ball to Hayden Lewis, with NMSU’s goal remaining the same –ending the losing streak. His performance was already better than Thursday’s pitchers, only allowing one run from a Grayson Ashe single.
Lewis kept the bats quiet until Ashe struck again with a home run before Matthew Cash added another run with his homer, ending his day but finishing the inning. Unfortunately, Jacksonville State pitcher Jackson Phipps silenced the Aggies by not allowing a single run until his sixth inning of action from a Mitch Namie single.
Jackson Sleeper was just as dominant for the Gamecocks, holding the Aggies scoreless through the final three innings. Connor Wylde did not have the same relief appearance, allowing zero runs until the ninth inning. With three more runs from the Gamecocks, courtesy of Sam Silas, Colton Hegwood, and Trey Majette, they got the job done and put the perfect finish to the game.
NMSU’s losing streak was extended to five games in a row.
Saturday’s game was the Aggie’s last chance to avoid a sweep, but the first inning started out very similar to the day before. With a good performance from NMSU’s Saul Soto, who only allowed one run from Hegwood in the second inning. Once Soto got into his rhythm, he held the Gamecocks scoreless until Thomas ended his day with a hit that scored two-off errors.
The seventh inning finally gave the Aggies some good fortune, as Steve Solorzano gave the Aggies a lead with one swing of the bat, getting a three-run home run over the left field wall. In addition, Hazen Wright got a redemption with a one inning.
However, the ninth was when the offenses finally woke up.
Williamson and Ashe finally got the better of Barreda, with their single and home run, giving the lead back to the Gamecocks, 6-4.
But baseball doesn’t always go according to plan. Look no further than Jacksonville State’s Joey Craig. Craig tarted the rally with a flyout that allowed Tariq Freeny to walk across home and quickly end Arndt’s day. Runners were on base and Bryce Campbell stepped up to bat, no doubt the thought of the last five games going through his head.
“There’s a lot of frustration, just not piecing parts of our game together, just losing games we feel like we should win,” he said. “But just keep grinding. That’s part of our identity, just keep running through it.”
Run through it he did as with one swing, the ball flew through the unseasonably cold air for what seemed like forever, but seemingly right into the hands of the left fielder as the losing streak looked like it would extend to six games.
“I hit it, I saw it go right at [the left fielder] and I got a little scared,” Campbell said. “But it fell.”
Yes, a fielding error gave Solorzano and Forrester time to cross home plate, ending the game and the losing streak on a walk off. The Aggies finally got a taste of winning again after being starved of it for so long.
