Tigers Falter In Late Innings During Season Opener

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – New Mexico State scored nine runs over the final three innings to break open a deadlocked game as TSU dropped its season opener 11-2 on Friday.
 
The Tigers struck first in the third as Roderick Coffee hit a solo homer for a 1-0 lead but New Mexico State countered in the bottom half as a two-out single knotted the game at 1-1. The Aggies moved ahead 2-1 in the fifth on a sacrifice fly but Coffee once again had success with the long ball as he led off the sixth with a solo homer for a 2-2 contest. Back-to-back hit batters allowed two runners on base with no outs but the Tigers couldn't capitalize as they lined out three consecutive times.
 
TSU was on the verge of escaping the sixth with two outs and a runner in scoring position but a pair of errors on a single broke the tie as NMSU went ahead 4-2. NMSU ultimately combined for seven more runs in the seventh and eighth frames to put the game away.
 
Coffee finished 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI. Tyler Hansen was tagged with the loss in a relief effort.
 
Both teams are back in action Saturday for a doubleheader at 1 p.m.