Baseball Pounded 17-1 By NMSU In Series Opener

Las Cruces, N.M. -- San Jose State suffered a 17-1 Western Athletic Conference loss at New Mexico State on Friday evening.

The Aggies (25-21, 10-9 WAC) went for 10 runs on nine hits and one Spartans (14-31, 8-11 WAC) error in the first two innings alone, and the game was ended after seven due to the conference's run rule.

Senior David Wayne Russo started the game and lasted 1.1 innings surrendering nine hits and eight earned runs. Daniel Chavez, James Glawe and Drew Bradshaw combined to give up four runs on seven hits throughout the remainder of the game.

Robert Lecount started the scoring for NMSU in the first inning with a three-run homer. Lecount made it 13-0 in the third inning with a two-run shot for his second of the game and 11th of the year. The third baseman finished the game 3-for-4 with three runs and six RBI.

Five other Aggies hitters finished the game with multiple RBI in what was San Jose State's worst loss to New Mexico State since a 25-10 loss in 1995.

The Spartans pushed one run across in the top of the seventh when Andre Mercurio scored on a fielder's choice ground ball off the bat of Jacob Valdez. Mercurio, who had two hits on the day, extended his career-long hitting streak to 10 games.

San Jose State and New Mexico State are back in action tomorrow night at 6:05 p.m. MST at Presley Askew Field. Right-hander D.J. Slaton (3-5, 4.24) will start for SJSU. Lefty Ryan Beck (6-3, 5.69) will start for NMSU.