GOODWELL, Okla-The Aggies baseball team played a doubleheader Friday afternoon in Mesa, AZ. The Aggies faced College of Idaho in game one, and the second game was against Benedictine Mesa University.

Game One 
Bottom of the first, Junior Ryota Kusumoto would reach first base from an error by the Yotes catcher. Kusumoto would steal second, and Sophomore Dylan Hughs would hit a single to knock in the first Aggies run of the 2023 season. 

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Hugh scored his second run batted in the season from a sacrifice fly. Kusumoto would cross home for the Aggies, scoring 2-5, and Junior Jeremy Dibartolomeo would single-score Alejandro Hernandez making the score 3-5 Yotes. 

The Yotes would get a run in the sixth inning and score 5 in the 8th inning. At the bottom of the Inning, Senior Tucker Bond would lead off with a double. Next play Kade Mosley would get walked. Freshman Alex Rodriguez would hit the first double of his career, clearing the bases, scoring 5-11, and finishing the game 5-15 Yotes. 

Junior Braeden LeJarraga made his first appearance of the 2023 season and the fifth of his career, LeJarraga would take the loss, pitching 5.2 innings and giving up six runs off of seven hits, including five strikeouts.  

As a team, the Aggies recorded eleven hits with four doubles. 


Game Two 
In the second game, the Aggies would see the Redhawks put up five runs in the first two innings. The Redhawks would score six more runs throughout the innings. The Aggies would get their first run in the top of the seventh inning; Dylan Hughs would lead off with a walk, followed by Kade Mosley single, getting Hughs to third. Senior Payton Brown would hit a double, scoring Hughs, making the final score 1-11 Redhawks. 

Junior Rafael Nolasco would start on the bump for the Aggies and go four innings giving up eight runs, seven earned on 11 hits, and striking out two.  

The Aggies had five hits and left six on base as a team. 

After the game, Shawn Joy shared, "we're not expecting to win.We need to  have a better mindset."

The Aggies' next game will be on January 28th at 2:30 PM as they finish in Mesa, AZ, against Arizona Christian University.