San Diego State’s (15-34, 10-14 MW) disappointing 2025 baseball season continued Sunday with a 15-7 loss to in-conference opponent New Mexico (28-18, 15-9 MW). The beatdown marks SDSU’s seventh consecutive loss while also putting the cap on a New Mexico sweep. Despite the story the final score tells, the Aztecs had control of the game for an extended period of time, only losing their lead in the top of the sixth.
The early control was in large part due to left-handed starter Garvey Rumary. Rumary began his day with three scoreless frames. Rumary’s innings were convincing, demonstrating solid command with zero walks and just one hit. The offense came through with support as well, scoring early in the second courtesy of a Zane Kelly double off the wall, which brought home Jake Jackson. When the Lobos responded with a run of their own in the fourth, SDSU immediately punched right back.
The Aztecs put up a four-spot in the bottom of the fourth to give Rumary a 5-1 lead. The runs were a product of sharp small-ball. Nevan Noonan got the party started with his lead-off single before advancing on a wild pitch to second base. The advancement was crucial, as a ground ball up the middle by Daniel Arambula would have most likely turned into an out if Noonan were still on first. Instead, it put runners on the corners. Noonan came home on an infield single by outfielder Jake Jackson, giving SDSU a 2-1 lead. However, they continued to push, scoring two more on a double by freshman Xavier Farnum. Finally, they capped off the inning with a run off the bat of Evan Escobar, leaving the score at 5-1 SDSU.
Despite the four-run lead, Rumary’s collapse began in the top of the fifth. The first pitch of the inning may have been an omen as it was tattooed to left by Lobos infielder Karsen Waslesky for a solo-shot. Two singles succeeded the homer, before coming home thanks to a Will Asby double to right field, making it a one-run game.
It appeared SDSU was accepting the Lobos’ challenge for a shootout in the bottom of the fifth, scoring a run to make it a more comfortable 6-4, but it would be the second-to-last Aztec run of the day. The Lobos, on the other hand, were just getting started.
The sixth inning officially marked the point where the game got out of hand for Rumary. He allowed another solo home run to left, this time to redshirt-freshman Cooper Brass, bringing it back to a one-run game. He then gave up three singles and a walk, giving the Lobos their first lead of the day at 7-6.
In the bottom of the inning, the Aztecs chased New Mexico starter Ryan Castillo after a hustle double by Xavier Farnum. But nothing came of the double.
Rumary’s day officially came to an end in the seventh when Aaron Kniffin came out of the bullpen. His outing was brief, only pitching to two batters and inducing two outs in the inning. Alito McBean took over from there and struggled in doing so, giving up a hard-hit single to extend the Lobos’ lead to two.
Again, the Aztecs went completely flat in response to the Lobos scoring, wasting baserunners that would have come home with a brutal pop-up double play by Nevan Noonan.
The eighth inning started with yet another solo-homer by New Mexico, this time it was a mammoth shot by Tye Wood. To add salt into the wound, New Mexico launched another long ball in the very next batter, making it 10-6 Lobos.
Finley Bates slapped an RBI double to left in the bottom of the eighth, but it was absolutely too-little too-late, with New Mexico again putting up runs in the top of the ninth.
Freshman Peyton Rodgers entered the game for the Aztecs and struggled, allowing five runs of his own. The crushing blow came off the bat of Ethan Ott with a three-run shot to cap New Mexico’s offensive explosion.
SDSU went down without a peep in the bottom of the frame, putting the seal on yet another frustrating loss.
The Aztecs will look to turn the page and hopefully break the losing streak on the road against CSUN Tuesday, May 6, at 6:00 PM.
