LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State Aggies took on Maine in a doubleheader on Saturday at Presley Askew Field. A strong night at the plate powered the Aggie to dominant wins in each game as the team holds a 3-0 series lead over the Black Bears.
 
Following an impressive day at the dish, head coach Brian Green said, "Sometimes offenses just get into a roll and offense really breeds off of confidence. Right now we are a very confident group, our rhythm is really good at the plate and guys are just feeding off of each other."
 
GAME ONE
Game one of Saturday's doubleheader saw NM State (12-8) righty-hander Justin Dehn take on Nick Silva for Maine (4-15). A quiet first inning then saw the Black Bears strike first in the top of the second with a sacrifice fly to bring home the man on third and put the Aggies down 1-0.
 
That lead did not stand the test of time as Braden Williams laced a two-out single up the middle and scored a run for the Aggies in the bottom of the second to bring the contest back to a tie.
 
Maine was able to retake the lead with a pair of RBI singles in the third and fourth frames to put NM State down 3-1. Then in the bottom of the fourth the Aggies got a man on second with two outs before Logan Bottrell roped a single to center to score the man and bring the Crimson & White within one, 3-2.
 
One swing of the bat changed that deficit in a big way when Caleb Henderson stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fifth. With two men on and two outs, Henderson launched a ball over the left field wall for a three-run home run to give the Aggies a 5-3 lead.
 
Following a scoreless sixth, another lead change occurred. With runner son the corners, a ground rule double brought a Black Bear across the plate to put the Aggie lead at 5-4. A single to right, followed by a fielder's choice added two more to the board for Maine to put NM State behind 6-5.
 
This top half of the seventh was the last time the Aggies would trail, however, as a a double to left center by Logan Ehnes brought home Tristen Carranza to tie the game up at six apiece. Then in the eighth Carranza brought in the leading run with a single to left to go up 7-6.
 
Later that inning, Trey Stine came in as a pinch hitter with a pair of runners on and two outs. Stine turned on a ball that left the ballpark in an instant for a three-run homer to expand the Aggies lead to 10-6. Chance Hroch then took the mound in the ninth and shut down the Black Bears to secure the 10-6 win for NM State in game one and earn the hurler his second win of the season.
 
At the end of game one the Aggies totaled 14 hits featuring nine Aggies getting in on the action, led by Joey Ortiz who went 4-for-5.   
 
GAME TWO
Game two saw another quick start for Maine as they jumped on NM State starter Alex Pinedo in the first inning. A pair of errors to open up the frame got a runner in scoring position before he was driven in to again put the Aggies down 1-0 early.
 
Maine starter Eddie Emerson fared well in his first frame holding the Aggies scoreless, but the Crimson & White would not stay quiet much longer. Nick Gonzales stepped up to bat with two runners on and the freshman crushed a ball to straight away center field for a three-run clast to put NM State ahead 3-1.
 
The scoring then continued for the Aggies just one inning later. Mason Fishback led off the bottom of the third and turned on the first pitch of the inning for a solo home run to right center to expand the team's lead to 4-1.
 
This lightshow for the Aggies again took off in the fourth inning following a scoreless top half for the Black Bears. The inning began with back-to-back infield singles to put the pressure on Maine. Fishback then knocked a single to right field to bring home a run.
 
With only one out in the frame, the Aggies saw a base on balls load the bases and a wild pitch move everyone over for the second run of the inning. Trey Stine added to the board with a pair of RBI on a single to left center that put NM State's lead at 8-1.
 
Following one-run bottom of the fifth after an outfield single brought in a man from second for NM State, Maine was able to answer and cut into the lead. The Black Bears had a solo homer and then proceeded to load the bases with just one out in the sixth. A pass ball brought in one more run for the opposition and put the Aggies lead at 9-3.
 
Looking to add to this large lead, Tristen Carranza did what he does best and crushed a ball over the centerfield wall for a two-run home run with no outs in the bottom half of the sixth. A pair of doubles then brought home three more runs for the Aggies who now led the Black Bears 14-3 followed this.
 
The NM state bullpen was able to hold the Black Bears scoreless over the next two innings to hold the 11-run lead. Maine gave the Las Cruces crowd a scare in the ninth when they plated four runs with zero outs in the top half, but a pitching change saw Wyatt Kelly come in and shut down the Black Bears and give the Aggies a 14-7 victory.
 
Alex Pinedo earned his first win of the season after throwing 5.2 innings with five strikeouts and just four hits allowed. The Aggie bats combined for 16 hits and five different players drove in multiple runs on the night.
 
Game four of the weekend series between New Mexico State and Maine is on Sunday, March 18, with first pitch slated for 12 p.m. MT.