LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The University of Hawai‘i Rainbow baseball team (24-26, 16-13 WAC) fell to the New Mexico State Aggies (25-27, 12-13) 7-5 in the first game of the series at Presley Askew Field yesterday. Sam Spangler (0-3) went
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The University of Hawai‘i Rainbow baseball team (24-26, 16-13 WAC) fell to the New Mexico State Aggies (25-27, 12-13) 7-5 in the first game of the series at Presley Askew Field yesterday. Sam Spangler (0-3) went 3.1 innings, allowing just two unearned runs while striking out six, but took the loss. Tyler Sturdevant (6-5) got the win for NMSU.
Jonathan Hee went 4-for-5 with a run while Greg Garcia added a 3-for-5 game with a run. Brandon Haislet was 1-for-3 with two RBI, a double and a run with Ryan Asato going 1-for-4 with three RBI and a triple.
The Rainbows lit up the scoreboard right away in the top of the first. Haislet hit a two-run double, scoring Garcia and Hee. Asato then came up with the bases loaded and unloaded them with a three-run triple, giving Hawai‘i a 5-0 lead after the first inning.
Alex Bates had the Aggies under control for a while until Joe Leghorn hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth, cutting the Rainbow lead to two runs. Joseph Scaperotta then blasted a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score at 5-5.
Franky Busani would give the Aggies their first lead in the bottom of the eighth, blasting a two-run home run to right-centerfield, giving NMSU a 7-5 advantage.
The Rainbows had an opportunity in the top of the ninth with runners on second and third with just one out. But Erik Nyquist buckled down, striking out the final two batters of the inning to take the 7-5 victory.
The two teams will continue the series at 2 p.m. HST, today.
