Box Score GOLDEN, Colo. – The Cowboys ran its Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference road record to 7-1 – including a six-game winning streak and a 3-0 mark on Fridays – as the New Mexico Highlands baseball team (14-12, 11-5 RMAC) defeated Colorado School of Mines (8-14, 6-9 conference) 9-6 Friday night in Golden, Colo.
The Cowboys banged out 13 hits and nine runs, eight of which came when two men were already out in the frame. Down 1-0 after one inning, it was a two out, two RBI single by senior
Tyler Hayes that flipped the score and put Highlands up for good. With two down and two on the next inning, it was junior
Colby Wilmer emptying the bases with his fourth triple of the season to put the Cowboys up 4-1.
Colorado Mines answered with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third, but Highlands blew the game open with five runs in the seventh, Hayes doubled down the left field line and scored – the only Cowboy run scored with less than two outs in the game, when junior
Andrew Ratterman followed with a single. A groundout put two men down as the Orediggers looked to minimize the damage, but Highlands was only getting started.
Junior
Morgan McCasland was hit on the first pitch he saw before senior
Javier Ledford doubled to centerfield to score a pair. Redshirt junior
Matthew Chavez fell behind 0-2 before drawing a walk. Senior
Jarred Middleton added a pinch hit, RBI single and pushed Chavez to third. For good measure, hustle produced the ninth run of the game when Middleton swiped second. However, the catcher's throw was wild and Chavez scampered home for the final Cowboys run of the ballgame. The visitors led 9-3 after seven.
Hayes paced Highlands with three hits, two RBI's and a run scored. Chavez only went 1-for-3 for the game, but drew a pair of walks to score three runs. Junior
Blake Harrison improved to 3-2, including 3-0 in road conference games, allowing 11 hits and five runs (three earned) in 7.1 innings pitched.
Harrison has gone at least seven innings in each of his RMAC starts on the road.
Junior
Ben Ruff threw a scoreless ninth to become the seventh Cowboy pitcher with a save this season. In fact, 7-of-13 pitchers with one appearance has a save this season for Highlands.
Colorado Mines made the game interesting with a trio of runs in the eighth. With one out, Zach Bothwell reached on a bunt single and advanced to second on a Derek Skrdlant single. Nathan Fishel followed with a triple to clear the bases before Rey Chavarria doubled to bring the Orediggers within three. However, junior
Erick McRae got a fly out before McCasland gunned down Chavarria on an attempted steal at third to end the Colorado Mines threat.
A hit by pitch and a fielder's choice that did not produce an out brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth for the Orediggers, but Ruff got a groundout and a strikeout to end the ballgame.
Logan Smith and Bothwell both had two hits with a run scored for the home team. Fishel added a double in a pinch-hit appearance with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Ben Gilman toed the rubber for the Orediggers, giving up nine hits and six runs over 6.1 innings pitched.
The two teams return to action tomorrow (March 29) for a pair of seven-inning games beginning at noon.
