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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 11:58 a.m., Sunday, April 26, 2009

New Mexico State wallops Rainbows, 20-9, earns series split

Advertiser Staff

Ben Harty and Wade Reynoso each drove in five runs and New Mexico State rolled over No. 20 Hawai'i, 20-9, in a game stopped in the seventh inning because of the 10-run rule to split the four-game Western Athletic Conference series at Presley Askew Field in Las Cruces, N.M.

Alex Capaul (1-3) gave up six runs, four hits and two walks with one strikeoutin 1 1/3 innings for the Rainbows (26-16 overall, 9-6 WAC).

Sebastien Vendette (6-1) allowed five runs (four earned), seven hits and four walks with seven strikeouts in six innings for the Aggies (34-10, 9-7).

Hawai'i took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Sean Montplaisir was hit by pitch with one out and Vinnie Catricala walked. Kevin Macdonald struck out, but Kolten Wong's single to center scored Montplaisir and sent Catricala to third. Wong took second on the throw to third. Landon Hernandez walked to load the bases, but Jeffrey Van Doornum grounded out to third to leave the bases loaded.

The Aggies came back with four in the bottom of the first. Jeffrey Farnam led off with a walk and took second on a passed ball. Nate Shaver flied out to left and Farnham went to third when Mike Sodders grounded out to shortstop. Bryan Marquez grounded a single to left to score Farnham to tie the game at 1. Marquez went to second on Leo Aguirre's single to right. Ben Harty homered to right to make it 4-1 before Wade Reynoso struck out to end the inning.

The Aggies sent 10 batters to the plate in a six-run second. Chace Perkins led off with a walk, took second on Justin Lucero's sacrifice and scored on Farnham's single to left. Capaul was pulled for Jesse Moore. Farnham stole second before Shaver walked. Sodders' double to right-center scored Farnham and moved Shaver to third. Marquez's RBI single sent Sodders to third and made it 7-1. Moore was replaced by Connor Little, who walked Aguirre to load the bases. Harty struck out, but Reynoso's three-run double made it 10-1 before Perkins struck out to end the inning.

Hawai'i got three in the third. Catricala walked to start the inning and scored on Macdonald's double to left. Macdonald took third on Wong's single to right. Hernandez grounded out to the pitcher Vendette unassisted, scoring Macdonald, but Vendette's throwing error on the play scored Wong to make it 10-4.

The Aggies had 11 batters up in a six-run fourth. Marquez opened the fourth with a single off Little and took second on a balk. Aguirre flied out to right, but after a 1-1 count on Harty, Little was replaced by Ryan Davis. Harty struck out, but Reynoso doubled home Marquez and scored on Perkins' single to make it 12-4. Lucero's single to left moved Perkins to second. Farnham walked to load the bases. Shaver reached on shortstop Garcia's throwing error that scored a run to make it 13-4. Sodders' single to left scored Lucero and reloaded the bases with the score 14-4. Marquez followed with a two-run double to make it 16-4.

The Rainbows pulled to 16-5 in the fifth. Catricala walked, but Macdonald lined out to third. Catricala took second when Wong grounded out to short and scored on Hernandez's single to center. Pinch hitter Josh Chevalier was called out on strikes.

Harty led off the fifth with a homer to center to make it 17-5.

Shaver homered to right-center to make it 18-5 to start the top of the sixth. Harty later added a sacrifice fly to make it 19-5. Reynoso's RBI single made it 20-5.

Catricala led off the seventh with a homer to left off relief pitcher Cory Hilo. It was UH's 45th homer of the season, the second-highest team total in school history. Kevin Fujii's two-run single made it 20-8. Shane Hoey's RBI single pulled UH to 20-9.