Box Score LAS VEGAS, N.M. – It was just a normal, come-from behind, walk off win at Brandt Park Friday night (March 21).
Down by as much as six runs and trailing by five with six outs left, the Cowboys staged a monumental rally to knock off the RMAC-leading Mavericks as the New Mexico Highlands baseball team (12-10, 9-3 RMAC) stunned 16th-ranked Colorado Mesa (14-4, 9-2 RMAC) 12-11.
Turns out, the Cowboys did not even need the final three outs.
Trailing 11-6 after the top of the eighth, the Cowboys had a runner at first with two down when they got their double-swing going. First up was senior
Tyler Hayes, whose two-bagger to left field put a pair into scoring position. Junior
Andrew Ratterman followed with a ground-rule double to left center to bring the home team within three. Junior
Nick Gonzales drove in the final run of the frame with a double to left field.
After freshman
Phil Trujillo retired the side in order in the top of the ninth, the Cowboys wasted no time completing the walk off. Facing a full count, senior
Jarred Middleton put a powerful swing on the ball that fell softly just over second base. Also down to his last strike, junior
Joe Cervantes found the hole on the left side to bring the potential winning run to the plate. Senior
Javier Ledford, down 0-2, ran the count to full before he singled through the right side to bring the Cowboys within one and put the winning run on base.
Repeating a theme, redshirt junior
Matthew Chavez faced a full count before hitting a double to left center to clear the bases and give Highlands the improbable walk off, their second-such win 12-11 at home.
Every starter in the lineup recorded a hit for the Cowboys. Ledford went 3-for-5 with two RBI's while Gonzales went 2-for-5 with two RBI's and a run scored. McCasland – who started the Cowboys' scoring with his conference-best six home run – was dazzling behind the plate a he gunned down 4-of-5 Mavericks who tried to steal.
On the mound for the Cowboys, Trujillo improved to 2-0 in his freshman campaign by retiring the final four batters he faced in order in only 13 pitches, including a pair of strikeouts. Dakota Behr fell to 0-1 for the Mavericks, allowing five hits and three earned runs in a third of an inning. He had not allowed a run to cross the plate in his previous eight appearances on the season.
Spotting the visitors six runs, the Cowboys got on the board in the fourth when McCasland hit a home run. Highlands scored a pair more in the sixth when with one out, McCasland walked and scored on junior
Colby Wilmer's third triple of the season. Then with two down, Ledford doubled to bring the Cowboys within three.
They took care of the final three runs to tie the game after seven innings. With one down and two on, Gonzales cleared the bases with a double. McCasland then singled and stole second to put a pair of runners into scoring position. Middleton followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game.
The Cowboys finished the day with six doubles.
As quickly as Highlands tied it up, the Mavericks went back up by five. With a man on, Jordan Leister pinch hit and proceeded to hit a towering shot that left the yard in dead center, his first of the season. Wallingford then walked and after a fly out, Sergio Valenzuela then hit his first homerun of the season to put the visitors up 10-6. The Mavericks ended their scoring on the day when with two outs, Austin Kaiser singled and scored on Garrett Woodward's double.
Colorado Mesa had five doubles of its own on the game.
Valenzuela paced the visitors with three hits in as many at-bats with three RBI's and two runs scored. The 3-5 hitters for Colorado Mesa went 6-for-14 with three runs scored and a pair of RBI's.
The Cowboys and Mavericks clash against Saturday (March 22) for a pair of seven inning games beginning at noon.
