PROVO — The BYU baseball team wasted no time jumping all over New Mexico State on Saturday, exploding for six runs in the first inning and then coasting to an 8-6 win.
BYU (7-12) swept the three-game series against the Aggies (10-16), rebounding in convincing fashion after Tuesday's disappointing loss in the home-opener against Utah.
Coach Vance Law said he was happy just to play the series, given the inclement weather that threatened each game and delayed Friday's game for two hours, but was even more pleased with the sweep.
"I think this was a big series for us, because if we don't play. . . . we're still stagnant," Law said. "But because we're able to get all three games in this weekend and to get three wins, I think the guys are starting to build some confidence, and we're starting to play better as a team."
After starting the season with eight straight losses, Law said it has been difficult to restore his players' confidence. But after Saturday's victory, that confidence seemed to be returning.
"Everything's coming together, and we're starting to feel good as a team," center fielder Adrian Molina said. "(Sweeping the series) is huge. It's huge to get our first series done, and mostly you can thank the crowd. They're in it every game, and we credit the fans mostly. They're there for us."
After watching BYU score six runs in the first, the Aggies showed they were not put off by scoring one run in the second and then adding four more on a two-out rally in the fifth to pull to within one.
Molina led off in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run to give BYU some breathing room, and the BYU bullpen and defense came up strong in the late innings to secure the win. Reliever Jordan Muir got the win, his first of the season, and Josh Barrett got the save.
BYU added another run in the eighth when Ben Saylor narrowly beat the throw to home on a fielder's choice, and the Aggies added one of their own in the ninth on an RBI single by pinch hitter Joseph Godinez.
Cougar shortstop Marcos Villezcas iced the game with a pair of outstanding defensive plays, the first a leaning grab on a ground ball followed by an outstanding, off-balance throw to take out the lead runner at third. He then caught a high ball out for the game's final out.
Strong defensive plays in key situations proved to be the difference in the game, in which the Aggies outhit BYU 15-13 but were stymied with runners in scoring position on several occasions.
"They had a couple awakenings, but we shut them down with defense," said Molina, who made a spinning catch on a tricky deep ball in center field in the eighth to prevent one scoring opportunity. "We've got to help out the pitching; they've been helping us out all year. The defense is coming along really good, though."
Law said the team also had a much-improved performance at the plate, where he has been asking his players to play more aggressively and provide some run support.
"We know we haven't been hitting right now, and coach has been saying we haven't been swinging at our pitches, so we're coming out and swinging at our pitches now," Molina said. "It creates momentum — everyone just comes out being aggressive now."
BYU will continue its homestand on Tuesday at 7 p.m., against in-state rival Southern Utah University.
E-mail: jtwitchell@desnews.com