March 4, 2007
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Lobos (6-11) scored three runs in the ninth against 19th-ranked Texas A&M but the Aggies escaped with a 6-5 win at the Domino’s Pizza Aggie Classic. The loss is New Mexico’s fifth straight.
Texas A&M scored three runs in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth for a 6-0 lead while starter Kyle Thebeau held New Mexico to just one hit through the first seven innings.
The Lobos finally got another hit in the eighth as sophomore Dane Hamilton led off with a double to center and scored two at bats later on a grounder to third by junior Ian Hollick. Freshman Derek Pilkington followed Hollick with his first collegiate home run.
Trailing 6-2 going in the ninth, New Mexico found itself with the bases loaded and no outs. Junior Matt Hibbitts singled to center, driving in senior Jay Russell from third and junior Jordan Pacheco followed him across the plate thanks to an error on the Aggie’s center fielder.
Senior Daniel Stovall scored on a wild pitch, leaving the Lobos trailing by one and only one out. New Mexico’s next two batters continued to swing away, but couldn’t find the holes, recording two groundouts to end the game.
The Lobos produced just five hits, led by Hibbitts’ 2-for-4 performance. Two Aggies, Blake Stouffer and Ben Feltner, had multiple-hit nights, going 2-for-3 and 2-for-5, respectively.
Thebeau earned the win, allowing just three hits, three runs, two walks and 10 strikeouts in 8.0 innings. Kyle Nicholson picked up the save, throwing 0.2 hitless innings. Junior Jacob Norton (0-4) suffered the loss, surrendering eight hits, six earned runs, five walks and two strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Junior Adam Skelton and freshman Scott Gracey combined for 3.0 hitless innings of relief, striking out four.
New Mexico concludes tournament action tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. CT/9:30 a.m. MT with Saint Louis.