COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Nick Hinojos blasted two 3-run home runs to help Northwestern State build a 10-1 lead over No. 5 Texas A&M through five-and-a-half innings, but the big inning that has doomed the Demons in all four of their losses so far came back to haunt once again as the Aggies rallied for a 14-10 win in the first of a two-game series on Tuesday night.
 
Hinojos got the first of his two round trippers in a seven-run second inning for the Demons (2-5) as NSU led 7-0 before Texas A&M (7-1) got on the board in the bottom of the inning.  He increased the margin to 10-1 with a two out homer in the top of the fourth and NSU held that lead until the bottom of the sixth when starting pitcher Jacob Roark was lifted for the bullpen.

"I thought we did a great job offensively," said head coach J.P. Davis.  "We kept the pressure up and did a good job of being selective at the plate and delivered the hits.  

The Demons got the first two batters of the game when Will Watson was hit-by-a-pitch and Drew Helenihi singled, but the two would be stranded on second and third with no runs scored.

In the second, Nick Purdy and Ryan Westbrook drew back-to-back walks and Mitch Huckabay singled to load the bases.  Jordan Buckley reached on a fielding error but got the RBI on the play after Purdy and Westbrook scored to give NSU a 2-0 lead.  Watson loaded the bags once again with a single to left field and a fielder's choice by Helenihi put NSU up 3-0.  Colin Bear got a RBI grounder to put the Demons up 4-0 and Shaun Hoover drew a two-out walk to put runners at second and third.  That brought up Hinojos who drove the ball over the left field wall to give NSU a 7-0 lead.

In the fourth, Helenihi drew a one-out walk and Hoover walked after Bear hit into a fielder's choice and once again, with two outs, Hinojos hit one over the left field wall for a three-run homer to give the Demons a 10-1 lead.

"We jumped out to that lead in the second and add to it in the fourth," said Davis.  "We worked the count and did what we needed to do to get the runs in."

Jacob Roark, who threw 35 pitches over the weekend against Southern, got the start and went five innings and gave up just one run on six hits with no walks and two strikeouts.

"Roark did a great job for us," said Davis.  "He made them (A&M) swing the bats and he did what we needed him to do.  He pitched over the weekend and was at 85 pitches tonight, so we were trying to get five innings out of him tonight."
 
It all unraveled when Roark left the game.
 
Things got ignited for the Aggies on a one out fielding error by Hinojos at third base.  That was followed by a single and a hit-by-pitch to load the bases.  A run scoring walk and a RBI single closed the gap to 10-3 when Demon head coach J.P. Davis relieved A.J. Funk for Zach Winchester.
 
A two-run single cut the lead to 10-5 and Winchester was lifted for Jamie Bittle who hit his first batter and gave up a sacrifice fly that scored another run and cut the Demon lead to 10-6 and Mason Melotakis was called out of the bullpen to try to stop the bleeding.
 
Instead, the wound opened even wider as Melo gave up a RBI walk and a two-run single before getting out of the inning with the Demons still leading 10-9.
 
NSU's offense managed just one hit after the sixth inning while Texas A&M scored four more runs in the bottom of the seventh and another in the eighth to pull away for the win.
 
Melotakis (0-1) took the loss after he allowed four run on six hits in 1.1 innings of work.  He also walked one and struck out two.

"Bottom line, we have to get better performances from our middle relief guys," said Davis.  "We're having to go to Melotakis too early to try to get out of jams."
 
Kyle Martin, the Aggies' fourth pitcher in the game, got the win after he threw just one inning and ran his record to 1-1 on the season.
 
Hinojos finished the game 2-for-5 at the plate with a career-best six RBI to go along with two runs scored.  Watson was the only other player to put up multiple hits as he finished 2-for-4.
 
The Aggies had three multi-hit batters led by left fielder Brandon Wood's 4-for-5 game with four RBI and two runs scored.  Third baseman Matt Juengel added a 3-for-4 game with two RBI and a run scored while shortstop Mikey Reynolds finished 2-for-6 with two RBI and a run scored and second baseman Blake Allemand 3-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored.

"It's a tough loss, but again, the big inning hurt us," said Davis.  "They scored 12 runs in two innings.  We've got to bear down in those innings and not let those things get away from us."
 
The two teams will play the final game of the series on Wednesday beginning at 3:05 with the Demons expected to start sophomore lefty Andrew Adams on the mound.