Feb. 19, 2006

Box Score

LAS CRUCES, NM - New Mexico State University reliever Brian Gausman struck out Gonzaga University's Scott Campbell with two outs and the bases loaded in the ninth inning to preserve a 10-8 Aggies (5-5) win over No. 29 Gonzaga (7-3) on Sunday afternoon.

Gausman earned his second save of the weekend with two scoreless innings while reliever Brian Sizemore picked up the win in a wild series ending contest. Gonzaga's Josh Monroe (1-1) was saddled with the loss as both teams went deep into their bullpens.

The Bulldogs appeared headed to a repeat of Saturday's offensive outburst when Bobby Carlson hit his third home run of the weekend to give GU a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. New Mexico State responded with seven runs of their own in the bottom of the inning chasing Zags starter Bobby McEwen.

Jason Long and Nick Pardikes walked to lead off the inning and Joseph Godinez tied the game with a single up the middle. Patrick Fields capped the Aggies big inning with a three-run home run to left.

Gonzaga chipped away at the lead scoring four runs in the fourth inning and tying the game in the sixth on a leadoff home run by Aaron McGuinness. Luke Hopkins put the Aggies back on top in the bottom of the sixth with his fifth home run of the season.

A pinch hit single by Will Ayala tied the game in at 8 in the bottom of the seventh before NMSU took the final lead with an RBI single by Vince Rodden. They tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eight with an RBI double by Brandon Lance.

Gonzaga loaded the bases in the ninth with a walk, single and hit batter before Gausman retired Campbell. Carlson was one of five GU players with two hits. Jackson Brennan and Darin Holcomb also had two hits and two RBI in the game. Fields the top Aggies hitter with two hits and 3 RBI.

Gonzaga continues its season-opening 18 game road trip next weekend with three games at the University of Washington. The series opener is set for Friday night at 6:30 p.m. at Husky Ballpark.