LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley baseball team dropped the finale 15-5 in seven innings as they were swept by New Mexico State University on Sunday at Presley Askew Field.
 
UTRGV (18-18, 2-7 WAC) jumped out to the early lead in the top of the first with some help from the New Mexico State defense. With two outs in the inning, senior Joseph Collazo reached on an error and then came in to score on an RBI single by junior Austin Siener. Senior Jose Garcia capped the scoring in the inning with a two-run home run to push their lead to 3-0.
 
New Mexico State (20-13, 6-0 WAC) answered right back in the bottom of the first inning as they scored four runs on five hits against UTRGV starter Andrew Garcia (3-2).
 
UTRGV tied it at four in the top of the second with an RBI triple by sophomore Anthony Gomez, who finished the ball game 2-for-3 but New Mexico State got an RBI double from Austin Botello and a two-run home run from Dan Hetzel to take the 7-5 lead.
 
Junior Ivan Estrella got UTRGV another run in the top of the third with an RBI double that scored Garcia from second but that would be all that New Mexico State starter Jonathan Groff (4-4) would allow as he pitched six innings allowing five runs, one earned, for his fourth win of the season.
 
New Mexico State added two runs in the bottom of the third, one run in the bottom of the fourth, two runs in the bottom of the sixth and three runs in the bottom of the seventh against the UTRGV bullpen to put the game out of reach.
 
UTRGV will return home to host Seattle University for a three-game series starting on Thursday, April 13 at 7 p.m. in a game that will be televised nationally on American Sports Network and throughout Texas on Spectrum Sports. It will be Mystery Giveaway Night where the first 200 fans in attendance receive a free mystery item. Gates open at 6 p.m. 

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