Feb. 29, 2004

Box Score

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - NMSU swept Rhode Island in a four-game series for the second consecutive year and improved to 10-3. Rhode Island falls to 0-6.

New Mexico State's Jason Connor had a solid performance in game two, pitching six innings, allowing only five hits and one earned run while striking out three and walking four in his first collegiate start.

Chris Ewen had a strong showing for the Aggies as he finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored while Mark Aranda went 3-for-4 from the plate with two RBI.

The Aggie offense exploded for seven first-inning runs.

Ewen led-off with a double to left field and Dustin Mote took a pitch on the shoulder to put runners on the corners. Xardiel Cotto walked and Billy Becher singled to right field to drive in two runs. Aranda singled up the middle to drive in one and Adrian Ballesteros followed with a run scoring single to shallow center. One batter later, Mark Keller doubled to left field to drive in the sixth run of the inning. Ewen finished what he started by singling for his second hit of the inning, scoring Keller to give the Aggies a 7-0 lead.

Rhode Island scored its only run in the second and neither team would score again until the sixth.

The Aggies half of the sixth began with a walk to Ewen, who scored on a stand-up double by Mote to make it 8-1. One batter later, Aranda knocked in Mote with a base hit to center field for the final run of the game.

Aggie reliever Justin Quaempts worked a scoreless seventh to end the game. Dan Frederick (0-1) took the loss for the Rams as he surrendered seven runs on eight hits in five innings pitched.

In game one, the Aggies rallied from a 5-3 seventh inning deficit to beat the Rams 9-6. New Mexico State had just two hits through the first six innings against Rhode Island starter Zach Zuercher.

The Aggies scored one in the first on an RBI ground out by Becher to tie the game at 1-1, took a 2-1 lead in the on a sacrifice fly by Ballesteros, and tied the game at 3-3 on a sacrifice fly by Emory Davies in the sixth.

The Rams were one strike away from taking that lead into the eighth, but Aggie second baseman Xardiel Cotto tripled to right center on an 0-2 pitch to drive in Ewen and cut the lead to 5-4. Zuercher was again one pitch away from ending the inning, but Becher slammed his seventh home run of the year on a 3-2 pitch over the centerfield wall to give the Aggies a 6-5 lead.

Aggie reliever J.T. Severe found himself in a bases loaded, one out pickle in the top of the eighth, but he got out of it by striking out Matt Sullivan and inducing Mike Rainville to fly out to end the inning.

The Aggies added some insurance in the eighth with three runs on an RBI single by Davies and a two-run home run by Keller.

Severe gave up a solo home run in the ninth, but finished the game to earn the win in his first decision of the year. Severe allowed just one hit in two and two-thirds innings. Zach Zuercher (0-1) took the loss for the Rams as he gave up six runs on four hits in six and two thirds innings, while striking out seven.

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