Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 CANYON, Texas – The Cowboys pulled within a pair in the top of the seventh in game one, but they went on to drop game one 5-3 and fell in game two, 12-3, as the New Mexico Highlands baseball team (3-7) lost a doubleheader sweep to West Texas A&M (9-2) Saturday afternoon (Feb. 22) in Canyon, Texas.
Down 5-1, senior
Justin Rodriguez led off the seventh inning with a single. After a lineout, senior
Javier Ledford hit his first home run of the season to cut the deficit in half. The Cowboys could come no closer. The other run came in the top of the fifth when junior
Nick Gonzales led off the inning with a hit, stole second and scored on an RBI single by junior
Tucker Young.
Rodriguez paced the Cowboys with two singles in three at-bats with a run scored and a stolen base in game one. The home run was Ledford's only hit of the day. In his first start of the season, senior
Ben Ruff (0-1) took the loss by allowing seven hits and five runs with three walks and two strikeouts over 4.2 innings.
In game one, West Texas A&M scored four runs in the first three innings. The Buffs plated the two runs in the bottom of the first. With two men in scoring position with no outs, Aaron Blair had an RBI groundout while Dylan Dyson added a sacrifice fly. A two-out, RBI double by Matt Redfearn produced another run in the top of the third while an RBI groundout in the third produced the fourth run for the home team.
Nick Chapman paced the home team from the plate with two hits in four at-bats with a pair of runs scored. Dyson went 0-for-1 on the day but had a pair of RBI's. Allowing only one run on four hits with six strikeouts for the game, Scott Cone improved to 2-0 on the season for West Texas A&M.
In game two, the Cowboys cut the deficit to 5-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the third thanks to hustle. After junior
Morgan McCasland and senior
Jonathan Stavinoha reached base to begin the frame, McCasland stole third and Stavinoha went to second on the throw. However, the third baseman muffed the throw to allow McCasland to score. Stavinoha followed after a pair of groundouts.
The Cowboys closed out their scoring for the weekend in the top of the sixth. After two singles to lead off the inning, Stavinoha singled with two outs to score the third run of the game. Stavinoha finished the game with four singles in as many at-bats with a run scored and an RBI. Senior
Greg Hansen (2-1) took his first loss of the season in three attempts, giving up nine hits and six runs (three earned) in six innings of work.
West Texas A&M, who never trailed on the weekend, struck first with three runs in the bottom of the first. Two infield hits put men on the corners with two down. A passed ball scored Redfearn and another error plated another Buff. An RBI single by David Herbert scored the final run of the inning.
The Buffs banged out 17 hits, led by Herbert with four hits in as many at-bats with two runs scored and two RBI's in game two. Redfearn went 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Joshua Weyker improved to 2-1 on the season for West Texas A&M on the mound, allowing two earned runs on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts over five innings of work.
The Cowboys return to action Friday (Feb. 28) when they travel to Adams State for a four-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
