Box Score LAS VEGAS, N.M. – A wise man once said about the team behind in conference play "But, it's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference baseball, stick around." That is exactly what happened in game one of the series between the Cowboys and Grizzlies.
With the Cowboys trailing 5-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, "Take Me Out to The Ballgame" again proved to be the catalyst as the New Mexico Highlands baseball team (23-15, 20-8 RMAC) scored eight runs over the final three innings to knock off Adams State (12-27, 10-18 RMAC) 9-7 on Thursday afternoon (April 17) in Las Vegas, N.M.
When trailing at home after the baseball anthem is played this season, the Cowboys have outscored their opponents 38-15 and are 5-3.
With the game tied at seven in the bottom of the ninth, junior
Morgan McCasland belted a 1-2 pitch to left field with a man on to give Highlands its third walk-off home win of the season. The Cowboys are now on a nine-game winning streak and are 8-1 in series openers in the RMAC in 2014.
Down by four runs with one out in the bottom of the seventh, senior
Justin Rodriguez was hit by a pitch and stole second. Classmate
Javier Ledford followed with a home run – his fifth of the season – to cut the deficit in half. Junior
Joe Cervantes and senior
Jordan Goliat both singled before senior
Jonathan Stavinoha brought the home team within one with a single that just found a hole on the right side.
Adams state responded in the eighth with a pair of runs, but the Cowboys tied it up thanks to a pair of errant Grizzlies' throws. McCasland reached on a throwing error by the shortstop to start the bottom og the eighth and advanced to second on a single by junior
Colby Wilmer single. Rodriguez hit an RBI single to left center and sent Wilmer to third. Facing a decision with a 3-1 count, coach
Steve Jones allowed Ledford to swing away as he dumped one into short left just beyond the reach of the Grizzlies to cut the deficit to one.
After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners up and an intentional walk loaded the bases, junior
Andrew Ratterman grounded to third. The Grizzlies fielder stepped on third but threw wide to first. Ratterman ducked under the tag attempt as his fielder's choice tied the game.
Junior
Zach Settles retired Adams State in order in the top of the ninth on only 10 pitches. McCasland hit a no-doubter to left field that went yard, his RMAC-leading 10th home run of the season. He finished the day with three hits, three runs scored and a pair of RBI's.
It was McCasland's fourth round-tripper off Adams State this season. Stavinoha, Wilmer, Ledford and Cervantes also had a pair of hits. Settles picked up the win in relief, retiring all four batters faced with a strikeout to improve his record to 2-2.
The visitors started off quick by scoring a pair of runs in the first and second inning. Chris Morley and Drew Wold both hit doubles to lead off the game before a fly ball and an RBI groundout by Zach Moldenhauer put Adams State up 2-0. An RBI double by Drew Wells and an RBI single by Tyler Thurston to put the visitors up 4-0 after the top of the second.
Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly for the Cowboys in the bottom of the second for their first run of the game. Hitting only sacrifice flies in 5-of-31 games to begin the season, Highlands has an RBI flyout in six of its last seven games.
After the second, Adams State's Wold and Quinn Tiernan added solo home runs. Wold and Wells both led the visitors with a pair of hits while Kyle Sedlak (3-4) took the loss on the mound, allowing five runs (three earned) with six hits and a strikeout.
Highlands returns to action Friday (April 18) with a pair of seven-inning games against Adams State, beginning at noon.
