Box Score GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Cowboys had the bases loaded in four different innings – twice each with one and two outs – but could only score one run as the New Mexico Highlands baseball team (32-20) fell to CSU-Pueblo (29-24) Friday night (May 9) in Grand Junction, Colorado.
The Cowboys fell behind 6-1 before scoring five unanswered to pull within one. Down five heading to the bottom of the fourth, senior
Javier Ledford walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two outs were recorded before junior
Andrew Ratterman reached on an infield single, but CSU-Pueblo threw the ball away to allow Ledford to score. A hit by pitch and walk loaded the bases, but a groundout ended the Highlands threat.
A single by junior
Colby Wilmer and Ledford around a double by junior
Nick Gonzales cut into the deficit. The Cowboys would climb within 6-4, but it was on a double play to kill the Cowboys attempted rally. In the seventh, Wilmer singled and advanced to second on an error and scored on a pair of groundouts to bring the game to 6-5, but Highlands climbed no closer as CSU-Pueblo scored one in the eighth and two in the ninth to add key insurance runs.
Ratterman and Wilmer led the Cowboys offense with two hits in five at-bats. Junior
Erick McRae fell to 3-4 on the year, allowing six runs (five earned) and nine hits on one walk in three innings of work.
CSU-Pueblo took the early lead again with four runs in the second. Lonny Schoon, who toed the rubber for the ThunderWolves and improved to 7-3 on the year, hit a double on the first pitch of the inning. After advancing to third on a groundout, Schoon scored on a double by Evan Kenebrew. A single put men on the corners before both men scored on a Mario Sanchez double. Anthony Mascorro hit the third double of the inning for CSU-Pueblo to put the ThunderWolves up 4-0.
CSU-Pueblo used five pitchers to secure the win. Schoon picked up the win, allowing four runs (three earned) in five innings of work. He overcame five walks and eight hits in his five innings of work. Doug Finley got the final two outs of the inning to preserve the CSU-Pueblo win and record his fourth save of 2014.The 8-9-1-2 hitters for CSU-Pueblo combined for 11 of its 14 hits.
Highlands scored a run in the ninth and brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth with two outs, but a ground out ended the game.
The Cowboys will find out if, when and where they will go for the postseason Sunday night (May 11) at 8 p.m. in the annual NCAA Division II selection show on NCAA.com.
