Box Score Las Vegas, N.M. – The NMHU Cowboy Baseball team won the final game of their four-game conference home series against the Colorado Christian University Cougars by the final score of 9-3. The Cowboys took advantage of a nine-run third inning and starter
Chris Prokupek held the Cougars to just three runs to earn a split (2-2) in the series. The Cowboys, led by Head Coach
Steve Jones, improve to 17-11 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and 21-17 in overall play.
NMHU 9 –CCU 3
Both teams were able to record one hit in each of the first two innings, but they were unable to generate any runs.
After stopping the Cougars in the top of the third inning, the Cowboys' offense went to work in the bottom half of the inning.
With one out and runners on first and second base,
Cory Falvey put the Cowboys on the scoreboard with an RBI single to center field.
Jarred Middleton followed up with a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring
Scott Frazier.
Josh McMahon was the next batter and he ripped a double to left-center field, allowing Falvey to cross home plate.
After the three quick runs, the Cougars made a pitching change but the Cowboys picked up right where they had left off.
Derek Ward brought McMahon home with his single to right-center field, for the Cowboys' fourth run of the inning. After
Chris Pile was intentionally walked,
Justin Rodriguez hit a single to center field, scoring Ward from second base.
Mike Bazuin stepped to the plate with Pile on second base and Rodriguez on first. With two balls and one strike, Bazuin crushed the next pitch to the fence in right-center field. Pile and Rodriguez both scored on the play. As Bazuin was sliding into third base, the Cougars' short stop made a bad throw that was out of reach for the CCU third baseman. Bazuin popped up and ran home for the Cowboys' eighth run of the inning.
Three at bats later, with
Jarod Jamerson on second base and
Scott Frazier on first,
Cory Falvey capped off the Cowboys' impressive third inning scoring run. Falvey had driven in the first Cowboy run of the inning and his RBI single through the right side brought Jamerson across home plate.
The Cowboys scored nine runs off eight hits in the inning and held a 9-0 lead after three innings of play.
The Cougars were able to pick up two runs in the top of the fifth inning and then another run in the top of the sixth inning. After six innings of play, the Cowboys still commanded a 9-3 lead.
Chris Prokupek settled in a shut down the Cougars' offense in the remaining three innings and the Cowboys earned the series split by winning the final game 9-3.
Chris Prokupek (6-2) picked up his sixth victory of the season for the Cowboys. Prokupek drew the start and threw a complete nine innings from the mound, allowing three runs (one earned run) on eight hits and striking out six Cougars. The victory was Prokupek's second complete game of the year.
Cory Falvey and
Josh McMahon were the Cowboys' offensive leaders on Sunday.
Falvey finished the game 2-5 from the batter's box, with two RBIs and one run scored.
McMahon was 2-4 at the plate, with an RBI, one run scored, and a double.
The Cowboys' split of their four-game series against the Cougars maintains their lead in the RMAC Plains Division. They are ranked second overall in the conference behind conference leading Colorado Mesa University. The Cowboys have twelve games left in the 2013 season, including their last home series against Colorado State University – Pueblo (Apr. 26-28). Coach Jones has the Pokes in position to make a run at NCAA DII postseason play.
The Cowboys will continue conference action next weekend (Apr. 19-21) when they travel to Alamosa, Colo. to take on the Adams State University Grizzlies in a four-game road series. The Cowboys swept all four games against the Grizzlies when they met earlier this season (Mar. 1-3) in Las Vegas, N.M.
GO COWBOYS!!!
