Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Someone certainly informed the 13 Cowboys' seniors it was there day.
Jordan Goliat recorded his first two triples of the year in the first game, classmate
Javier Ledford recorded his 11th game with double-digit putouts in 2014,
Cole Davis tripled his double tally of the season in game two and
Tyler Hayes made spectacular defensive plays for nine assists on the day at shortstop as the New Mexico Highlands baseball team (31-18, 28-11 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) beat Metro State (14-29, 12-26 RMAC) 11-10 in game one before taking game two 6-2 in Las Vegas Saturday (May 3).
"I am just very proud that these seniors got to enjoy success in their final games at home and extremely pleased they will get into the postseason," head coach
Steve Jones said.
Game one saw Highlands record its fourth walk off home win of the season. Tied at seven heading into the bottom of the eighth, junior
Nick Gonzales, senior
Jarred Middleton and Goliat all hit triples to put the Cowboys up two. Junior
Andrew Ratterman added a sacrifice fly to score Goliat and give Highlands its 10th run of the game and the field goal inning.
Highlands three triples in the eighth is tied for the second-most three-baggers in an inning for an NCAA Division II team - the first time this feat was accomplished since 2001. The Cowboys are also 15-0 on the season when scoring in the double digits for a game.
A costly error helped Metro State score three unearned runs in the ninth off of senior
Ben Ruff, but the Cowboys capitalized on a critical miscue in the bottom of the ninth. Gonzales had a single on the first pitch and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Hayes hit a chopper back to the pitcher, but the Roadrunners' Eli Ford air-mailed the throw over the first basemen's head. As the ball bounced around in foul territory, Gonzales scampered home for the winning run and gives Ruff (1-4) his first win of the season.
Game two saw Highlands put up a five-spot in the second for all the runs they needed. It all started with a throwing error by Metro State that put Middleton on second with one out. Senior
Justin Rodriguez and Davis hit back-to-back doubles to put Highlands up a pair. A Hayes walk and a wild pitch put a pair of runners into scoring position. However, the Metro State catcher threw wildly in an attempt to get Davis at third, who proceeded to walk home. Goliat then added a seeing-eye single for the fourth run. Junior
Tucker Young followed with a single while Goliat scampered to third as Young took second on the throw. Gonzales then grounded out to the right side for the fifth run.
Catching the pitcher napping in the fourth, Goliat swiped home to increase the advantage to 6-1.
Junior
Erick McRae picked up the complete-game win in game two, allowing seven hits and seven earned runs with three strikeouts. Young, Rodriguez, Davis and Goliat all went 2-for-3 from the plate.
Zac Baldini and Reilly Mau both went 2-for-3 from the plate while Kevin Hand slowed eight hits and six runs (four earned) in six innings of work in game two.
Game one saw Highlands fall down 4-0 before plating five in the fourth. Redshirt junior
Matthew Chavez singled before junior
Morgan McCasland and Ledford were beaned to load the bases. A Gonzales sacrifice fly put Highlands on the board, but a pop out looked like it might end the Cowboys' threat. Hayes walked to load the bases for Goliat. Goliat smashed the third pitch of the at-bat just past the diving right-fielder to clear the bases and give him his first triple of the season. A chopper up the middle that Ratterman legged out gave the Cowboys its first lead of the day.
In the fifth, Metro State quickly retook a 6-5 lead on Gavin Purvis' two-run shot, his second home run of the series, but McCasland golfed his own two-run bomb in the bottom of the fifth for his RMAC-leading 11th home run of the season.
Chavez went 3-for-4 in game one and has 10 hits in his last 14-at bats. Goliat added two triples in four at-bats with four RBI's and two runs scored. For the visitors, Purvis went 2-for-4 with three RBI's and two runs scored. Marcus Bean also went 2-for-4 with three RBI's.
For the visitors in game one, Ford took the loss and falls to 0-3 on the year, allowing one unearned run and a hit and walk in one inning of work.
The New Mexico Highlands baseball team returns to action Thursday (May 8) at 3:30 p.m. when it travels to Grand Junction, Colorado, to play CSU-Pueblo. The Cowboys are the second seed while CSU-Pueblo is the third seed in the RMAC Tournament. You can follow @NMHUAthletics for live-tweeting of all the action.
