LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Diamond 'Dogs (15-8, 4-0 CUSA) are off to a 4-0 start in conference play for the first time since joining Conference USA after downing New Mexico State (9-12, 1-3 CUSA), 13-5, at Presley Askew Field in Las Cruces.
 
Friday's contest marked the second time Tech has knocked at least 15 hits in a game, and have picked up at least 14 hits in three of their last four games.
 
The 'Dogs opened the scoring in the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead. Cade Patterson led off the contest with a walk followed with a one-out double down the left field line from Trey Hawsey, allowing Patterson to come around and score on the play.
 
NMSU responded in the home half by leading off with a triple before a throwing error with one out allowed the runner to score, and the hitter to advance all the way around to third. He was brought in on an RBI groundout before the inning ended on a flyout to right.
 
Wesley Scott led off the second with a first-pitch single followed by an infield hit from Patterson to put runners on the corners. Tech then jumped out to a 4-2 lead on a massive 464-foot bomb by Colby Lunsford with two outs, passing Matt Houston's 455-foot homer earlier in the season for the longest Tech home run of the season thus far.
 
Trey Hawsey ripped his first career triple down the right field line the next at-bat, but was left stranded on a groundout.
 
The Aggies' bats continued to find contact, leading off the frame with a single of their own and a walk after put runners on first and second with no outs. Both runners advanced 90 feet on a double steal before a walk loaded the bases, followed with a two-run knock to tie the game.
 
The frame ended on the 'Dogs' 19th double play of the season and a pop out, leaving a runner stranded at third and sending the game into the third inning in a 4-4 tie.
 
Eli Berch picked up a one-out single and advanced to second on a walk drawn by Scott. A two-out walk on a 3-2 count drawn by Casey McCoy loaded the bases before Patterson drew his own walk to break the tie.
 
Already with a homer and three RBI on the day, Lunsford stepped up to the plate and belted a 446-foot bomb to left-center for a grand slam, giving the 'Dogs a 9-4 lead.
 
With his second homer, Lunsford picked up his third multi-homer game and is the fifth time a Diamond 'Dog has hit multiple four-baggers in a game this season. It is also the second-straight weekend the graduate third baseman has a hit a grand slam, following up with one to cap off a seven-inning run rule in the series finale against Delaware at home.
 
Lunsford's seven RBI are the most by a Bulldog since Sebastian Mexico plated seven runs against Arkansas-Pine Bluff at the Love Shack on April 29, 2025.

In the bottom of the third, Declan Dahl struck out the first two batters he faced before allowing a walk. Unphased by the baserunner, the Azle, Texas native struck out the next batter to pick up the first scoreless frame for either side.
 
With his second homer, Lunsford picked up his third multi-homer game and is the fifth time a Diamond 'Dog has hit multiple four-baggers in a game this season. It is also the second-straight weekend the graduate third baseman has a hit a grand slam, following up with one to cap off a seven-inning run rule in the series finale against Delaware at home.
 
Both sides were quiet in the fourth, but Tech increased their lead to seven once through the top half of the fifth. Scott led off with a walk and Zeb Ruddell doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. An RBI groundout made it a 10-4 game before Patterson added on with an RBI double to close out the frame.
 
With nothing across for both sides in the sixth and seventh frames, Coates led off the eighth with a base hit and scored on a massive RBI double to left-center from Berch. The Aggie center fielder made a good run to the ball, making a diving attempt but was unable to hold on to the ball, allowing Coates to come around and score the 12th run of the game.
 
Tech put up their 13th run of the night following a one-out walk drawn by Lunsford then back-to-back singles from Hawsey and Mexico, including an RBI credited to Mexico.
 
With his hit in the ninth, Mexico recorded his 28th multi-hit game which leads all current Bulldog hitters.
 
NMSU snapped their streak of six consecutive scoreless innings, plating two in the ninth on an error and an RBI single with no outs.
 
Following a pitching change, an error on a pop up occurred to give the home side runners on first and second with one out. A double steal then gave the Aggies a pair of runners in scoring position, with both being driven in on a sharp base hit with two outs up the middle to cut Tech's lead to five.
 
The fourth single of the frame followed the scoring play, but the rally was cut short on Riley Fisher's second strikeout, giving Tech the series-opening win.
 
Eight Bulldogs picked up a hit with six of those recording multi-hit games, led by Trey Hawsey's game-high three base hits with the sophomore first baseman being a home run shy of hitting the cycle. Dahl earned the winning decision, improving to 4-2 on the season. The junior tossed five full innings, allowing four runs with three of them earned on four hits, five walks and struck out three batters.

Luke Nichols tossed three frames, with two of the three runs he allowed coming in as earned runs on two hits, no walks and a season-high five strikeouts. 
 
Tech's seven extra-base hits as a team are the most in a single game this season, and have not had seven extra-base hits since the series opener against DBU on April 25, 2025.

Game 2 of the series is set for Saturday, March 21 at 7 p.m. CT/6 p.m. MT at Presley Askew Field. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and radio broadcast will be available on 97.7 FM, the LA Tech Athletics app and the Varsity Network app. 
 
Quotables
 
Head Coach Lane Burroughs:
"Obviously, Colby had a great day. I thought the three at-bats prior to his grand slam were unbelievable by Casey McCoy, Wesley Scott and Cade Patterson to load them up for him, and he drives it out of the yard. We talked about how [New Mexico State] doesn't stop. The only thing I'm really disappointed in with the team—I thought we lost focus. We talk about to win a championship, you have to focus every pitch, and it's hard. It's hard to focus on every pitch for 56 games. But, it's a win and a hard win. It's a tough place to play, and New Mexico doesn't stop, because they're used to getting behind and coming back. No lead is safe here, and it took everything that we had. Declan was having trouble seeing with the sun, but once it went down, he started dealing. I thought Luke Nichols was outstanding tonight. We had to go with Riley Fisher at the end, but we had to get this win. We left too many men on base and we need to get those runs in, but all in all it's a win."
 
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