NMSU falls to Seattle University in WAC Tournament elimination game

(Courtesy NMSU Athletics)

MESA, Arizona – Despite four strong innings from right-hander Chris Barraza, NM State Aggies’ baseball program fell 10-0 on Friday against Seattle U Red Hawks in a WAC tournament playoff at Hohokam Stadium.

Sophomore Righty Rorik Maltrud (3-4) took the defeat for the fourth-occupied Aggies (20-34) after just 3.1 innings.

Maltrud allowed seven hits, six runs and hit four.

The Redhawks scored three early runs with a walk and three back-to-back hits on Friday to take a 3-0 lead after half an inning.

The great success came from Julian Kodama, who brought a couple home.

In the home half of the first game, Ethan Mann gave the Aggies a double with two wins, but the first baseman was stranded in second place.

Maltrud settled in the second and third innings as the Righty withdrew the next six Redhawks he faced.

The Aggies had a lead from Brandon Dieter in the second round, but Seattle U starter Nestor German fired a pair of zeros.

Halfway through the visitor’s fourth pass, Maltrud ran into trouble when Seattle U used a lead of a single and a pair of stolen bases to trigger a four-run frame that gave the visitors a 7-0 lead.

After another empty voyage on the plate for the Aggies, Barraza returned to the hill with excitement.

The righty shrugged to take off a goalless fifth place with two strikeouts.

In total, the Righty threw four innings and recorded six strikeouts.

German took the lead and drove over the last five innings of the game.

The right dispersed seven hits and struck seven to record a 126-pitch shutout.

Seattle U scored three more goals ninth behind NMSU reliver Ian Mejia to qualify for a matchup with UTRGV No. 3.

The Aggies finish the 2021 season 20-34 and 1-2 in the WAC tournament.

On Friday the careers of senior Chris Jefferson and Jason Bush in the NMSU will come to an end. Jefferson beat Seattle U 7-5 on Wednesday, while Bush finished the tournament with two hits and two RBIs.

ON THE PLATE:
• The Aggies closed in Sac State for the first time since April 11th.
• The NMSU left seven runners on the base.
• Dieter had his best 16th double of the season.
• Infielder Kevin Jimenez went 4-2 on Friday to increase his final average to .330.
• Jimenez is one of three aggies to finish the season with at least 0.300.
• Left fielder Zerek Saenz scored his 75th goal of the season.

ON THE MOUTH:
• Barraza returned for the first time since March 29 at Seattle U.
• He only needed 59 spaces to get through the four innings of work and found 39 of his 59 spaces to strike.
• The Aggies knocked out 11 Seattle U-Batters.
• Maltrud was repealed in favor of Frank Dickson Jr. Dickson Jr. allowed three inherited runners to score one goal.

HEAD COACH MIKE KIRBY:
“The season didn’t go as we planned, but I thought the guys really worked on it every day. They showed themselves with great attitudes and work ethic. We fell short and have some things to work on and we do need a little more depth. But we’ll be back. It was great to see Chris up the hill again, but so many people have grown this season. It was great to see Kevin Jimenez grow as a leader and like Tommy Tobacco the game slowed down I said we’re coming back. ”