Baseball: Wolf Pack falls against New Mexico State

Reno, Nev. - The University of Nevada (17-18, 6-3 WAC) baseball team fell 9-6 to New Mexico State University (31-7, 6-4 WAC) in the second game of a four-game Western Athletic Conference series at Peccole Park in Reno Friday afternoon. The two teams have split the first two games of the series after the Wolf Pack won 11-5 on Thursday night. The Aggies are now within one half game of the WAC leading Wolf Pack with a 6-4 mark while the Pack stand at 6-3 in conference play. Overall NMSU improved to 31-7 and Nevada dropped to 17-18.

After the first two batters of the game were retired NMSU scored a run on two hits. Left fielder Jeffrey Farnham walked and moved to second base on first baseman Ben Harty's double. An infield single by shortstop Bryan Marquez scored the first run of the game. The Aggies scored a pair of runs in the top of the third inning to increase their lead to 3-0. Designated hitter Mike Sodders and Marquez had RBI singles in the inning.

Nevada got a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the third inning from shortstop Kevin Rodland to score its first run of the game and took advantage of an Aggie error to score two more unearned runs to tie the game at 3-3. Back-to-back doubles from right fielder Matt Bowman and center fielder Westley Moss scored the second run of the inning. An error on a ball off the bat of Pack first baseman Shaun Kort allowed Moss to score the tying run.

Harty delivered a two-out double in the top of the fourth inning to break the tie and put NMSU on top for good 5-3. Three more Aggie runs in the top of the fifth and NMSU had a five run cushion. Center fielder Richard Stout delivered a two-RBI single as part of three-run outburst. A solo home run by catcher Chace Perkins in the top of the ninth inning scored the Aggies ninth run of the game.

The first three Nevada hitters in the bottom of the ninth inning reached base, two earned walks and the third was hit by pitch. A sacrifice fly by third baseman Tyson Jaquez scored a run and left fielder Nick Melino's single plated another. The third run of the inning scored on Brock Stassi's fielders choice but that would be all the scoring for the Pack as the fell by the 9-6 score.

Nevada starter Chris Garcia (2-4) surrendered five runs on seven hits in the four innings and was tagged with his fourth loss of the season. NMSU starter Daniel Simon (8-0) won his eighth game of the season giving up just three runs, one earned in six innings on the mound.

Bowman (2-for-4,2R) and Stassi (2-for-5,RBI) had two hits each to lead the Pack. Bowman extended his team-high hit streak to 11-games. Five different Pack hitters drove in a run in the game.

Stout (3-for-6,2R,2RBI) topped the Aggies with three hits and also drove in two runs. Sodders (2-for-6,2RBI), Marquez (2-for-4,2RBI) and Howard (2-for-5,2R,RBI) added two hits each. Stout, Sodders , Farnham and Marquez had two RBI apiece.

The third game of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 1:00 p.m.