NMSU roars back from 7 down to beat ’Bows

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LAS CRUCES, N.M. » Franky Busani hit a tie-breaking, two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning yesterday as New Mexico State scored seven unanswered runs to defeat Hawaii 7-5 at Presley Askew Field.

NMSU    HAWAII 7 5 NEXT UP at NMSU today

Ryan Asato hit a three-run triple and Jeff Van Doornum had a two-run double as the Rainbows scored all five runs in the first inning.

Aggies starter Tyler Sturdevant rebounded to go eight innings and throw more than 130 pitches in improving to 6-5 for the season.

Erik Nyquist struck out Brandon Haislet and Van Doornum with runners on second and third in the ninth to earn the save.

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LAS CRUCES, N.M. » New Mexico State likes to live and die by the long ball whenever at home.

So far, the Aggies are living pretty well.

New Mexico State scored all seven runs on homers and battled back from a five-run, first-inning deficit to defeat Hawaii 7-5 yesterday in the first game of the 'Bows' final WAC series of the season at Presley Askew Field.

"That was a total team effort on how not to play a game," Hawaii coach Mike Trapasso said. "You score five in the first and you don't score the rest of the way. That can't happen."

Franky Busani untied a 5-5 game in the eighth inning with a two-out, two-run home run off reliever Sam Spangler for the game-winning hit.

Busani's homer was the only hit off Spangler (0-3), who was the tough-luck loser, striking out six in 3 1/3 innings of relief.

New Mexico State (25-27, 12-13 WAC), which clinched its first-ever berth in the WAC tournament last weekend, won for the seventh time in its last nine games.

Hawaii (24-26, 16-13) lost the opening game of a WAC series for just the second time this season.

The Rainbows jumped on Aggies starter Tyler Sturdevant for five runs in the first inning. Greg Garcia and Jon Hee singled with one out before Brandon Haislet hit a two-run double for the first two runs of the game. After a single by Jeff Van Doornum and a walk by Vinnie Catricala, Ryan Asato cleared the bases with a three-run triple as the Rainbows took a 5-0 lead.

That was all the Rainbows would score, as Sturdevant (6-5) settled down and didn't allow a run over the next seven innings.

"A lot of credit to Sturdevant for the job he did giving up the five-spot and then going eight innings," Trapasso said. "That guy is a warrior. He was at 125 pitches after seven and still came out for the eighth."

Rainbows starter Alex Bates allowed one hit over the first three innings, but was tagged for a three-run homer by Joe Leghorn with two outs in the fourth. He finished the inning by getting Busani to fly out to left, but didn't come out to pitch in the fifth.

"That was 100 percent a pitch count," Trapasso said. "We're trying to build him back up for a couple of weeks now and he was at 64 pitches after four."

Cory Kahn took his place and allowed four hits in two-thirds of an inning, including a two-run homer by Joseph Scaperotta to tie the score at 5.

Leghorn's homer came one batter after Bates drilled a batter with a pitch and Busani's home run came after an error by Kevin Macdonald put a runner on base. The two mistakes made for the two runs that proved to be the difference.

"The reality is it's not those home run pitches that cost us," Trapasso said. "You're going to give up homers in this ballpark. You just can't hit a guy and make an error before the home runs."

After loading the bases with one out in the seventh on hits by Matt Roquemore and Greg Garcia, and a walk by Haislet, Hawaii couldn't cash in, as Van Doornum and Macdonald struck out, ending the inning.

Trailing 7-5 in the ninth, the Rainbows put runners on second and third with one out, but closer Kyle Nyquist struck out Haislet and Van Doornum to earn his sixth save of the season.

"This group has come too far and been through too much to get comfortable, and that's the way we played after that five-run lead we got in the first inning," Trapasso said.

The two teams meet again today at 2 p.m. in the second game of the series. Nick Rhodes (4-4, 4.84 ERA) will get the start for the 'Bows.