The New Mexico State Aggies won both games in a WAC doubleheader against the Sacramento State baseball team by scores of 5-3 and 11-5 at Hornet Field Saturday. The Hornets (10-8 WAC, 19-22 overall) have now lost the first three installments of the scheduled four-game series against the Aggies (8-11 WAC, 21-25 overall).

The Hornets got out to an early lead in the first game, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Gabe Jacobo hit an RBI single and sophomore Tim Wheeler drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Wheeler drove in another run in his next at-bat when he doubled home senior David Flores.

The Aggies made their way back into the ballgame by scoring runs on a fielder’s choice groundout in the third inning, an RBI double in the sixth and a lead-off home run in the seventh. The game slipped away from the Hornets in the top of the ninth when freshman catcher Brent Hottman committed a throwing error, allowing the winning run to come around and score.

Sac State hitters failed to come up with timely hitting as the team left 14 runners on base in game one.

“We have to be more disciplined at the plate,” Wheeler said. “It seems that teams that come out and throw a lot of off-speed pitches get us off-balanced and we’ve got to be disciplined enough to overcome it and hit the ball hard anyway.”

The second game was tied 1-1 heading into the top of the fourth frame when New Mexico State started its scoring barrage. The Aggies scored at least one run in five of the last six innings of the game, outscoring the Hornets 10-4.

Junior southpaw Brian Smith (2-1) started the game on the hill and took the loss, working five innings while relinquishing four earned runs.

Hornet freshmen pitchers Chris Baek, Doug Stinson and Brandon Sandoval combined to pitch the last four innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits.

The Hornets and Aggies meet again at 2 p.m. today at Hornet Field for the final game of a four-game conference series.

Andrew Eggers can be reached at [email protected]