BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—CSU Bakersfield out slugged NM State 7-6 in the Western Athletic Conference series Friday night.

Roadrunner batters posted three hits in the first four at-bats of the first inning. Max Carter capped off the spurt with a double that scored Dustin Frailey. Sergio Robles added an RBI ground later in the inning for CSUB. Mahlik Jones increased the lead to four in the bottom of the second with a double that scored Chance Gusbeth and Drew Seelman.

The Aggies got on the board in the fourth when Dan Hetzel's sac fly plated Daniel Johnson. With runners on the corners later in the inning, Mason Fishback hit a grounder to third that scored Austin Botello. Drew Seelman led off the bottom of the fourth with a double that was followed by a Jake Ortega single. Frailey singled to left for his 15th RBI of the season as Ortega ran to third.

Jones singled through the left side to make it 6-2. David Metzgar walked to load the bases to bring up Carter. Carter's sac fly to center increased the CSUB advantage to five. Robles walked to loaded the bases for a second time before Ryan Grotjohn grounded into an inning ending double play.

Two of the first three NM State batters reached in the NMSU sixth before CSUB starter Isaiah Moten was called for a balk that advanced the runners. With one out, Johnson hit a ball deep into the right center gap that Frailey tracked down for the second out. Johnson was credited with the sac fly as Brent Sakurai scored. scored. Austin Bottello singled in the Aggies' fourth run later in the inning before Metzgar fielded a Hetzel shot at second. He tossed the ball to Jones at short for the third out.

Joseph Koerper led off the Aggies' sixth with a single. Fishback also singled up the middle to bring the tying run up for the first time in LJ Hatch. CSUB went to the pen and called upon Gusbeth who started the game as the designated hitter to relieve. Hatch attempted to put down a sacrifice bunt, but fouled off his two attempts. Down 1-2 in the count, Hatch's Texas Leaguer to right loaded the bases.

Trey Steine singled to center to score Koerper. Sakurai flew out to center, but the ball wasn't deep enough to advance any of the runners. Gusbeth got Greg Popylisen to ground into a 4-6-3 double play that got the 'Runners out of the inning.

Gusbeth hit Johnson to begin the NM State seventh. Botello's bloop single to left before Gusbeth recorded back-to-back strikeouts. A Fisback grounder to short proved to be the final out.  

Hatch hit his second home run of the year to lead off the NM State eighth cut the 'Runner lead to one. Seelman walked with one out in the bottom of the eighth. He stole second as Ortega struck out. NMSU intentionally walked Frailey to get to Jones. The Aggies went to the bullpen and called upon their closer, Joe Galindo to face Jones. Galindo struck out Jones to quiet the 'Runner threat.

Adam Coats relieved Gusbeth upon the beginning of the ninth. Johnson was his first batter and he walked. Botello, the WAC's leading hitter, struck out looking on four pitches. On a 1-0 count, Hetzel hit a ball to shallow right. Robles came on, dove, and made the second out. Coats went to 3-2 against Koreper before using a curve ball for a called third strike and his first save.

Both teams tallied 11 hits with four 'Runners posting two each in Jones, Frailey, Metzgar, and Seelman. Jones drove in three runs while Frailey and Seelman both scored twice.Botello went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Johnson was 2-for-2 and stole his league leading 20th base. Hatch's home gave him two hits on the night.

CSUB (8-28, 3-9 WAC) and NM State (21-16, 9-4 WAC) continue the series Saturday at 6 p.m. Tickets are available through the CSUB Ticket Office at (661) 654-BLUE or tickets@csub.edu, or online at Vallitix.com. Saturday's game against the Aggies is a WAC Digital Network presentation.

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