Derrick Tuskan, Photo Editor

It was a streak while it lasted, full of the type of baseball San Diego State hadn’t played most of the season. It was four consecutive wins, and more victories weren’t added mostly because of a 5-foot-7 left-hander with a pitching arsenal much bigger than his frame.

SDSU won the first of two games against New Mexico, 10-4, on Friday and dropped the second, 8-2, on Saturday at Tony Gwynn Stadium. The Aztecs played the final contest of a three-game series yesterday, but results were not available as of deadline.

Lobo pitcher Danny Ray Herrera (all 145 pounds of him) tossed a five hitter on Saturday, striking out nine batters – tying a career-high. Herrera (6-0) entered the game with a 1.50 ERA and kept SDSU from breaking out despite being within striking distance.

Junior starter Bruce Billings (1-3) pitched brilliantly for the Aztecs – only really struggling in the second inning when he allowed a three-run homer. He yielded two walks to begin the inning, contributing to his team-high 28 walks on the season and showing what has been his biggest mark against him this year despite lowering his ERA to 4.57.

Billings and Herrera both allowed two hits through six innings, as New Mexico led 3-2. But when the Aztecs (10-25, 4-2 in Mountain West Conference play) took out Billings and went to their bullpen in the seventh, the Lobos erupted for five runs on five hits.

SDSU’s winning streak – and the game were as good as over.

Meanwhile, Friday’s contest started out in favor of New Mexico and quickly turned toward SDSU. The Lobos jumped to a 2-0 lead after the first inning, but the Aztecs responded in the following inning.

SDSU had two singles by senior Paul Smyth and junior Brock Ungricht, and senior Curt Mendoza didn’t let their efforts go to waste. He slammed a three-run home run over the left field fence to give the Aztecs a 3-2 lead.

SDSU continued the hit parade in the third when senior Tim O’Brien hit a homer that also scored freshman Nick Romero. The Aztecs added another run in the inning and made it 6-2, eventually cruising to a win.

Smyth provided some insurance runs in the sixth, banging a two-run triple. He was scored on a sacrifice fly by Ungricht, ending a three-run rally.

New Mexico waited until the ninth inning to score again, tallying two runs that weren’t nearly enough to battle back.