Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Junior
Cody Brown allowed only one earned run on five hits in the second game of the double header as New Mexico Highlands baseball (13-11, 10-3 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) blew by Colorado Mesa (15-5, 10-3 RMAC), 10-1. The Mavericks took game one 9-1 on Saturday afternoon (March 22).
After allowing a run and three hits in the top of the first, Brown surrendered only a pair of hits, a walk and a hit by pitch in the final six innings of work. He improves to 3-0 on the year in as many complete-game starts.
With Highlands trailing 1-0 in game two in the bottom of the first, senior
Tyler Hayes reached on a hit by pitch. With one out, Hayes stole second and advanced to third on a groundout. Junior
Morgan McCasland quickly fell in an 0-2 hole, but singled up the middle on a 1-2 pitch to tie the game.
Both teams went scoreless in the third before Highlands scored three in the third to take its first lead of the series before the ninth inning. With one down, Hayes bunt found no-man's land between the pitcher, catcher and third baseman as he reached first. Junior
Andrew Ratterman followed with another infield hit before junior
Nick Gonzales slashed a ball down the right field line that hugged the line for his first triple of the season.
McCasland put the home team up 4-1 with a hit through the left side on a full count.
In game two, McCasland led the Cowboys with three hits in four at-bats with a trio of RBI's. Gonzales finished with a double and triple in four at-bats with three RBI's and two runs scored.
The Cowboys left no doubt with a six-run sixth. Junior
Colby Wilmer led off the inning with a walk before being sacrificed to second. Senior
Javier Ledford followed with an RBI single to left center. Junior
Joe Cervantes added another single before a groundout moved both runners into scoring position with two down. Hayes followed with a double down the right field line that hopped over the fence for a ground-rule double and scored a pair of runs and put the home team up 7-1.
A costly error plated another Highlands' run before Gonzales hit an RBI double down the right field line. McCasland – on a 1-2 count – singled to right field to end the Cowboys scoring.
Every one of McCasland's hits on the day came when he was facing two strikes.
A hit by pitch and throwing error put a pair in scoring position for the Mavericks in the top of the seventh, but Brown ended the game with his third strikeout of the ballgame.
Joey Danner fell to 2-3 on the year for Colorado Mesa, giving up six runs and nine hits over 5.1 innings pitched.
Game one went the way of the visitors by a final of 9-1. Sergio Valenzuela led off the game for the Mavericks with a single before scoring on an RBI double by Austin Wallingford. A flyout moved Wallingford to third before an RBI ground out plated the second run of the inning. Nate Robertson and Jake Druce followed with singles as the Mavericks led 3-0 after one.
In game one, the top two in the lineup for the Mavericks went 5-for-8 with five runs scored and three RBI's, including Wallingford's second home run of the series. Tony Audio had no hits in four at-bats, but had a run scored and a pair of RBI's. Ryan Reno improved no 2-0 on the year, surrendering one run on nine hits for the complete game win for Colorado Mesa.
The Cowboys had at least the first two runners on in the first three innings, including the bases loaded with no outs in the second, but failed to score. The visitors blew the game open with a four-run fourth, all runs scoring with two outs.
Highlands scored its lone run in the bottom of the seventh. Junior
EJ Stanton led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a ground out and scored on classmate
Tucker Young's RBI single.
Senior
Greg Hansen fell to 3-2 on the year, giving up eight runs (six earned) and 11 hits in six innings of work.
Highlands goes for the series win against the Mavericks in a nine-inning contest beginning at noon. The victor takes the overall lead in the RMAC.
