New Mexico Highlands fans are reminded to sign up for text updates on all Cowboys and Cowgirls news by clicking here.LAS VEGAS, N.M. – It's good to be home.
The Cowboys improved to 6-2 on the friendly Brandt Field diamond as New Mexico Highlands (8-7, 2-3 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) jumped out to a big lead and went on the win its second consecutive home game in walkoff fashion, 11-10, against the Regis Rangers (5-10, 1-6 RMAC) Friday afternoon (March 14) in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
Tied at 10 going into the bottom of the ninth, fifth-year senior
Omar Garcia blooped a single to left. Senior
EJ Stanton entered for Garcia as a pinch runner and was sacrificed to second. Junior
Jesus Caporal singled to put men on the corners, but a critical passed ball moved Caporal into scoring position. Senior
Colby Wilmer then hit a ball just to the right of the second baseman that could not be handled as Stanton scored the winning run.
Down 1-0 heading to the bottom of the first, Highlands started out the game quick when Senior
Andrew Ratterman drew a walk and classmate
Nick Gonzales blasted a home run to left to turn a deficit into a 2-1 lead. On the very next pitch, fifth-year senior
Matthew Chavez belted a home run to left.
Gonzales finished the day 3-for-5 with four RBI's and a run scored. Caporal was 3-for-4 with a run scored while Ratterman had two triples in four at-bats with two runs scored and an RBI. Senior
Erick McRae picked up the win in his first decision of the season, pitching the final 2.2 innings and allowed only a hit with four strikeouts.
A two-out error and an RBI triple by Ratterman put the Cowboys up 4-1 after two, but the home team exploded for three runs in the third. A fielding error and an RBI double by senior
Morgan McCasland scored the first run. Senior
Joe Cervantes followed with an RBI double and after Highlands loaded the bases, Wilmer hit a sacrifice fly to open up the 7-1 lead.
However, Regis quickly answered with five in the fourth and three in the fifth to race out to an 8-7 lead. A single and double put a pair in scoring position for Christian Bitar, who cleared the bases with a single to make the lead only 7-3. With two outs and Bitar at second, the Rangers put three-straight hits together to score three runs. Marco Burciaga just legged out an infield hit and stole second. Drew LaComb then singled in both runs before scoring himself on Logan Knox's double.
Bitar – making his collegiate debut – then gave Regis the lead with a three-run shot in the fifth. He led the team with two hits in four at-bats with five RBI's and two runs scored. Casey Kennedy (0-2) took the loss for Regis, allowing two hits and one run in three innings of work.
After falling behind in the top of the fith, Highlands quickly wrestled the lead back in the bottom of the frame. After two singles to begin the inning, both runners advanced on a bunt. A passed ball scored the first run while Gonzales drove in the second as the Cowboys took the lead back, 9-8.
The Cowboys and Rangers return to action Saturday with a pair of seven inning games. The double header begins at noon.
