Nick Silva pitched 4 ⅔ shutout innings and the Maine Black Bears recorded 16 hits to beat the New Mexico State Aggies 13-3 in baseball action Sunday at Las Cruces, New Mexico.
The win helped the Bears (3-4) salvage a series split with the Aggies after opening with a 3-1 win Friday, but then dropping a doubleheader Saturday 3-2 and 7-3.
Silva, a freshman right-hander, held the Aggies to three hits while walking just one and striking out three after sophomore righty Chris Murphy was reached for three runs on two hits and three walks in 2 ⅓ innings.
Tyler Schwanz, Brett Chappel and Kevin Sypulkowski sparked the Maine offense with two RBIs each while Jeremy Pena smacked two doubles, singled and drove in a run.
Swantz and Sypulkowski each notched three singles while Danny Casals added a double and single.
Maine took two-run lead into the sixth inning and broke loose for four runs in the sixth to take a 9-3 lead with Schwanz and Sypulkowski each hitting an RBI single.
Trey Stine doubled and drove in two runs for the Aggies (5-2).
On Saturday, pinch runner Greg Popylisen scored on a single by Mason Fishback with one out on the bottom of the seventh inning, lifting New Mexico State by Maine 3-2 in the second game of a doubleheader.
New Mexico State overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat UMaine. Marcel Renteria spaced six hits and two runs (one earned) with six strikeouts and a walk through five innings, before Joseph Galindo and Brett Worthen (2-0) each worked a scoreless inning in relief.
Austin Botello singled twice for the Aggies.
Casals doubled and singled among six hits for UMaine, which also received an RBI single from Jon Salcedo.
Jonah Normandeau of Cumberland allowed five hits and two runs with three strikeouts and three walks through the first four innings. Charlie Butler (0-1) suffered the loss despite surrendering just two hits and a run in 2⅔ innings.
UMaine scored twice in the top of the fifth. Chappell doubled, then Stypulkowski reached on an error and stole second. Brenden Geary plated a run with a groundout and Salcedo followed with a run-scoring single.
NMSU equalized in the bottom of the inning. Botello singled before Normandeau walked Stine and Connor Johnson walked Joseph Koerper to load the bases.
Butler came on and walked in the first run, then induced a run-scoring groundout.
The hosts won it when Koerper hit a one-out single and Popylisen moved up on Dan Hetzel’s single to left. L.J. Hatch was walked intentionally after a wild pitch, then Fishbeck hit into a game-winning fielder’s choice.
In Game 1, the Aggies roughed up starter Jeff Gelinas (0-2) for five hits and seven runs in the first two innings to set the stage for the victory.
Botello knocked in two runs with two singles, Koerper posted two singles and two RBIs and Hetzel had a double and two RBIs for the winners. Matthew McHugh (2-0) gave up six hits and two runs in 5⅓ innings to earn the win.
Schwanz hit a solo home run, a double and a single to lead UMaine, while Casals and Chapell each posted a double and a single. Jake Osborne also belted a solo homer.
Sophomore right-hander John Arel was outstanding in relief, pitching 6⅔ innings of five-hit, shutout ball. He struck out nine and walked only one.
NMSU scored three times in the first, led by Koerper’s two-run single. The hosts rallied for four runs in the second inning, including a two-run single by Botello.