New Mexico State rallies past baseball Rainbows, 7-5
Advertiser Staff
Franky Busani's two out, two-run home run in the bottom of the eight snapped a 5-all game to lead New Mexico State over Hawai'i, 7-5, today in the opener of the four-game Western Athletic Conference baseball series at Presley Askew Field in Las Cruces, N.M.
Tyler Sturdevant (6-5) survived a five-run first by UH by following with seven scoreless innings. Erik Nyquist survived an error and single in a scoreless ninth for his sixth save for the Aggies (25-27 overall, 12-13 WAC)
With one out in the eighth, Marcus Quade reached on first baseman Kevin Macdonald's throwing error to the pitcher covering first. Quade stole second when Joe Leghorn struck out. Busani followed with his two-run home run to right-center to make it 7-5.
Sam Spangler (0-3) gave up the home run, although the runs were unearned because of the error, in 3 1/3 innings of relief for the Rainbows (24-26, 16-13).
The Rainbows sent nine batters to the plate in a five run first. With one out, Greg Garcia singled and took third on Jon Hee's single. Both scored on Brandon Haislet's double to center. Jeff Van Doornum reached on a single to third that froze Haislet at second, but after Kevin Macdonald flied out to center Vinnie Catricala walked to load the bases to set up Ryan Asato's three-run triple to left-center to give UH a 5-0 lead.
The Aggies finally got to Bates in the fourth. With two outs, Tyler Hardt singled and Marcus Quade was hit by a pitch. Joe Leghorn homered to right to pull the Aggies to 5-3.
Cory Kahn started the fifth inning for UH, allowed a lead-off single, but erased the runner with a double play. But Bryan Marquez doubled, took third on a wild pitch before Joseph Scaperotta's two-run home run to left-center tied the game at 5. Chris Auten singled and Kahn was pulled for Sam Spangler, who balked the runner to second, before striking out Hardt to end the inning.
Hawai'i squandered a golden opportunity in the seventh when it had the bases loaded and one out, but Sturdevant struck out Van Doornum and Macdonald to keep the game tied at 5.
