THE RUNDOWN
Saturday afternoon, DBU (10-9, 1-1) fell to New Mexico State (9-9, 1-1) by a score of 17-14.
Jake Bennett launched multiple home runs for the fourth time already this season, leading everyone on the field with nine total bases. Five other Patriots also left the yard in the effort, but it wouldn't be enough as the Aggies forced a rubber match in the first conference series of the year.
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Jared Schaeffer tossed a one-two-three top of the first, before Bennett's first home run of the day traveled 453 feet over the batter's eye with one away in the bottom of the inning.
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New Mexico State responded in the second, as Tommy Meluskey and Jonatan Clough led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Clough would be brought home on a two-out single from Aidan Lombardi, after Meluskey was out on a fielder's choice earlier in the frame. The score was knotted at one after the top of the second.
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In the bottom half of the inning,
Luke Pettitte led off the frame by sending a 2-2 curveball 415 feet over the left field fence for his first collegiate home run. Pettitte's homer ignited a six-run inning, as nine DBU hitters came to the plate.
Cooper Neville singled and stole second, and
Keaton Grady walked to set the table for the rest of the inning:
Dylan Cupp ripped an RBI single,
Jake Bennett drove in a run via a 4-6 fielder's choice,
Ben Tryon pulled an RBI double down the right field line, and
Chayton Krauss launched a two-run homer to put a bow on the massive inning. After two, the Patriots led 7-1.
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The Aggies would begin chipping away at the deficit immediately, however, as Chris Daniels launched a three-run homer in the top of the third, making the score 7-4.
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Luke Pettitte led off the bottom of the third with a full-count walk before
Cooper Neville singled up the middle. With runners on the corners after a fielder's choice,
Dylan Schlaegel was given a pinch hit appearance to face a left-hander in the form of NMSU's Connor Wylde. Schlaegel then lofted a three-run homer over the left field wall, before
Dylan Cupp went back-to-back, sending a 1-0 offering over the batter's eye. After three innings of play, DBU led 11-4.
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Neither team would score until the bottom of the fifth, when Cupp ripped a one-out single, setting the table for
Jake Bennett's fourth homer of the weekend. Bennett pulled a 3-2 breaking ball over the left field wall, making the score 13-4.
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Avery Duncan and Matthew Yarc traded zeros in the sixth inning, but the game would be flipped upside down shortly after.
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New Mexico State came all the way back to knot the score at 13 in the top of the seventh on the backs of three walks, seven singles, a double, and a home run off the bat of Tommy Meluskey. The Aggies' Carson Timmons and Jack Turner would then set DBU hitters down one-two-three in the bottom half, bringing the scorching hot NMSU bats up again.
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The Aggies took the lead in the eighth inning after four free passes, and added insurance runs via an Aidan Taclas RBI single and a sac fly from Meluskey. After the top of the eighth, New Mexico State led 17-13.
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The Patriots were held scoreless in the bottom of the eighth, before
JT Long tossed a one-two-three top of the ninth, keeping the home crowd's comeback hopes alive.
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Cooper Neville led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, before
Landon Underhill bounced into a fielder's choice.
Dylan Schlaegel then walked on four pitches, before another fielder's choice created a first and third situation with two outs in the ninth.
Jake Bennett then punched an RBI single up the middle, bringing the tying run to the plate in the form of
Ben Tryon. Tryon walked, loading the bases for
Chayton Krauss with two away. Krauss then bounced into an unassisted fielder's choice to the third baseman to end the game.
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THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
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Jake Bennett is the first hitter in Conference USA to reach ten home runs this season.
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Chayton Krauss is now in the top ten all-time in program history in career home runs (36, T-9).
- Patriot pitchers only recorded one strikeout this afternoon.
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INSIDE THE NUMBERS
5 -
Keaton Grady and
Dylan Cupp led the team with five fielding assists today.
13 -
Jake Bennett has 13 RBIs in his last two games.
6 - Six different Patriot hitters left the yard this afternoon.
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ON DECK
The Patriots conclude their weekend set against New Mexico State tomorrow afternoon.
Ryan Borberg is scheduled to take the hill at 12:05 pm.
