BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—NM State edged CSU Bakersfield 5-4 to even their Western Athletic Conference baseball series Saturday night.

For the second night in a row, CSUB took a first inning lead as Max Carter drove in Mahlik Jones with a single. The CSUB lead would be lost in the third. A 'Runner error that began the Aggies' inning would come back and haunt CSUB. The extra chance for the NMSU offense would result in a two-out Dan Hetzel three-run home run. Hetzel hit his third home run of the year to the deepest part of Hardt Field over 390 feet away in center.

The Aggies scored twice in the top of the sixth to increase the lead to four. Carter drove in Jones again with a single in the bottom of the sixth. Chance Gusbeth and Junior Felix both walked in the bottom of the seventh which chased NMSU starter Kyle Bradish. Tyler Erwin relieved Bradish to face Dustin Frailey, the 'Runners leading hitter. On the first pitch he saw from the junior lefty, Frailey singled to center which plated Gusbeth.

Erwin struck out Jones. Erwin attempted to pick Felix off at second but threw the ball into centerfield, allowing both runners to advance. David Metzgar walked to load the bases and bring up Carter, the Roadrunner clean-up hitter. On Erwin's first pitch, Carter popped out to short to end the inning.

NM State brought in Marcel Renteria to open the eighth and after getting ahead of pinch hitter Christian Deaton 0-2, Renteria walked Deaton. Drew Seelman doubled to right center to push Deaton to third. Gusbeth's fly ball to left was deep enough for Deaton to score from third, making it a one-run game. Pinch hitter Jake Ortega struck out. The Aggies went to the pen for the fourth time, this time calling up on closer Joe Galindo for a four-out save. Galindo got the first part of the task done when he struck out Felix.

Austin Botello reached on the fifth CSUB error to begin the ninth. Hetzel laid down a successful sac bunt to push pinch runner Jaron Balmon to second. LJ Hatch reached on an infield single, but Jones knocked the ball down to keep Balmon from advancing. That was key as Mason Fishback grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to finish off the frame.

Frailey, CSUB's leading hitter, fouled out to lead off the ninth. Jones flied out to right before Galindo earned his fifth save of the year by striking out Metzgar looking to end the game.

Jones extended his hitting streak to 13 with a single in the bottom of the third. Jones' streak is now tied for the sixth longest (Oscar Sanay, 2011) in school history. He would go 2-for-5 with two runs in the game. Carter, Frailey, and Jones combined for six of the eight CSUB hits. Botello and Fishback both recorded a team high two hits for NM State.

CSUB (8-29, 3-10 WAC) and NM State (22-16,10-4 WAC) conclude the series Saturday at 12 p.m. Tickets are available through the CSUB Ticket Office at (661) 654-BLUE or tickets@csub.edu, or online at Vallitix.com. Sunday's game against the Aggies is a Roadrunner Sports Network presentation on Bakersfield.com.

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