Box Score GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Cowboys could not overcome four errors and a late rally fell short as the New Mexico Highlands baseball team (31-19) fell to CSU-Pueblo (28-22) 15-9 Thursday afternoon (May 8) in the first game of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament in Grand Junction, Colo.
Highlands trailed 15-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth when it put up a five spot thanks to walks and a hit by pitch. Junior
Mike Sordia was pluncked on the first pitch of the inning before advancing to third when senior
Ben Ruff reached on an error. Junior
Andrew Ratterman and senior
Justin Rodriguez both singled in runs. Senior
Javier Ledford walked to load the bases before classmate
Cole Davis cut the deficit to eight on a sacrifice fly. Senior
Jerrod Middleton walked to load the bases and junior
Nick Gonzales was grazed on the arm for the pitch for the fourth run of the inning. A wild pitch brought the Cowboys within six, but two flyouts ended the rally.
Rodriguez led the Cowboys with two hits in three at-bats with a run scored and a pair of RBI's and three walks while junior
Colby Wilmer added a solo home run to right center. Senior
Greg Hansen falls to 7-5 on the year, allowing 15 hits and 12 runs (seven earned) in five innings of work.
The Cowboys kept the pressure on CSU-Pueblo starter Victor Soto, leaving seven runners on in the first inning, but the ThunderWolves blew the game open with a six-run fourth. Up 2-1 after a third inning solo home run by Dominick Bregar, CSU-Pueblo began the fourth when the leadoff man reached on an error. Lonny Schoon followed with his first of two home runs on the day to put the ThunderWolves up 4-1. Eddie Williams and Mario Sanchez hit a single and double around a pop out before another error scored two more runs. Mike Wagner singled to put runners on the corners until a double by Scott Hoyt drove in a pair.
Five of six runs in the fourth scored by CSU-Pueblo were unearned. Schoon added a solo home run in the fifth while Wagner added three run shot in the sixth en route to the 15-9 win by CSU-Pueblo.
Wagner led the ThunderWolves with four hits in six at-bats with three runs scored and three RBI's. Lonny Schoon doubled his home run total for the season with two round-trippers, adding another hit for four RBI's and two runs scored on the day.
Dillon Given improved to 2-0 out of the pen for CSU-Pueblo, not allowing a run on three hits with three strikeouts.
New Mexico Highlands looks to stay alive Friday (May 9) at noon when it takes on Colorado School of Mines. The winner will take on the loser of Colorado Mesa and CSU-Pueblo tomorrow night at 7 p.m.
