ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Interstat) — Raphael Smeenk broke out of a slump with two home runs and five RBIs, and the Tarleton State Texans outslugged the New Mexico Lobos 15-10 on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader.

The shortstop, who was hitless in his previous six at-bats over two games, launched a three-run homer in the third inning and added a solo shot in the seventh to power a 16-hit Tarleton State attack. The victory improved the Texans to 10-5 overall, while the Lobos fell to 12-4.

The most important sequence of the game came in the top of the third inning, which turned a tight contest into a commanding Tarleton State lead. Leading 3-1, the Texans loaded the bases with no outs. After a sacrifice fly made it 4-1, Smeenk stepped in and delivered the decisive blow, a three-run homer to deep right field that stretched the lead to 8-1 and chased New Mexico starter Alvarez.

New Mexico chipped away, highlighted by a two-run homer from Garrett Rede in the third and a two-run triple from Karsen Waslefsky during a four-run eighth inning that brought the Lobos within 12-10. Waslefsky finished 2 for 4 with a home run, a triple and three RBIs.

The Texans, however, sealed the win with three runs in the top of the ninth, keyed by a two-run double from designated hitter Chris Ricard, who went 2 for 3 with three RBIs.

Carson Lorch set the table all day for Tarleton State, going 5 for 6 with two RBIs from the two-hole in the lineup. The Texans’ bullpen provided critical shutdown innings, with Conner Doucet throwing three perfect frames in relief and Karsen Davis recording the final two outs of the eighth to strand two runners and preserve a two-run lead before working a scoreless ninth.

For New Mexico, Lenny Ashby drove in three runs, while Rede had three hits, including his homer. Lobos reliever Cooper Corkrean took the loss, allowing five earned runs over 4 2/3 innings.

The result defied the pregame projections from Interstat, which gave New Mexico a 57.8% probability to win and projected a 7-5 Lobos victory.

The teams met for the second game of the doubleheader later Saturday.