The Sacramento State baseball team fell 12-3 to New Mexico in the second of the two-game series Tuesday afternoon at John Smith Field.

Sac State (14-10, 3-0 in the Big Sky Conference) threw seven different pitchers in Tuesday’s contest as the team gave up 12 runs, 11 of which were earned, on 17 hits and five walks. Starting pitcher Austin Root earned the loss.

Sac State head coach Reggie Christiansen felt bad about putting Root in a position he wasn’t familiar with.

“We’ve pitched well all year, but Austin Root is not a starter, he’s a reliever, and I feel that I put him in a bad spot there,” Christiansen said. “Pitching has been our strength all year, and today doesn’t change that.”

New Mexico (17-8, 7-2) struck first in the top of the first inning with two runs. Root gave up a leadoff walk, and New Mexico designated hitter Chris DeVito capitalized with a two-run home run to right field.

New Mexico’s bats came alive in the top of the fourth as the leadoff hitter, first baseman Jack Zoellner, belted a first pitch home run to right field. Second baseman Jared Holley followed with a double down the left field line. Left fielder Austin Bell drew a walk to put runners on first and second base. Shortstop Dalton Bowers and sophomore center fielder Luis Gonzalez hit back to back doubles resulting in four total runs for the inning.

Sac State’s offense came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning. Senior left fielder Chris Lewis started the inning off with a single through the left side of the infield. Junior center fielder Blake Edmonson followed with a bunt for a single to put runners on first and second base for junior second baseman Brandon Hunley, who doubled to the center field warning track for a pair of RBIs.

New Mexico tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth inning on three singles through the infield and a walk.

Sac State added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning with a little help from New Mexico. Freshman designated hitter Matt Smith led the inning off with a single to right field. Junior third baseman Kody Reynolds and Lewis drew walks to load the bases as Edmonson hit a sacrifice fly to score Smith.

New Mexico never let its foot off the gas as they scored four more runs in the top of the seventh inning. The first five hitters for the Lobos reached base safely, including two doubles, two singles and a walk. DeVito also earned his fourth RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly to center field.

The Sac State offense was led by Hunley, who hit a two-run double. Smith and Lewis both went two for four with a run scored. Edmonson added a hit and a run scored, and Trent Goodrich also added a hit.

“The good thing is we have a couple of days off before we play again. This is baseball, so this happens, and we’ve gone through this every year,” Christiansen said. “It’s just going to take these guys to have a little better attention to detail and be better this weekend.”

Sac State resumes conference play starting on Friday at 3 p.m. as it takes on Northern Colorado in a three-game series at John Smith Field in Sacramento.