New Mexico Highlands fans are reminded to sign up for text updates on all Cowboys and Cowgirls news by clicking here.GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Cowgirls lost a heartrbreaker in extra innings in game one and the Mavericks overcame two early solo shots in game two as New Mexico Highlands (6-16, 1-11 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) lost a pair to Colorado Mesa (15-12, 11-4 RMAC) 6-5 (eight innings) in game one and 9-2 in game two on Sunday (March 15) in Grand Junction, Colorado.
With the Cowgirls down 3-1 in the fourth, Highlands tallied four runs to take the lead. Junior
Ashton Borunda and senior
Jessica Brink walked before sophomore
Katelyn Bates homered to give the Cowgirls the lead in one swing of the bat. Junior
Dekota Monarrez homored after a groundout to close the inning.
Bates, who added an RBI double in the second, was a triple short of the cycle in four at-bats with four RBI's and a run scored.
In the bottom of the fourth, Colorado Mesa tied it up. Tawnee Woosley led off the inning with a single, was sacrificed to second and advanced to third on Rachel Boothe's single. A sacrifice fly and an infield single by McKayla Kovac tied the score at five. Both teams failed to score as the game went to extras.
The Cowgirls loaded the bases in the top of the eighth with two outs but could not score. In the bottom of the eighth, Colorado Mesa had a leadoff double. Around an error, Highland's
Jessica Brink recorded a key strikeout and pop up. However, a wild pitch scored the winning run as Colorado Mesa claimed the win.
Woosley, Boothe and Zoe Pakes all had two hits with a run scored. Brooke Hodgson won to improve to 10-5, giving up five runs (four earned) on nine hits. Brink took the complete game loss to fall to 3-7, allowing six runs (five earned) on 10 hits in 7.2 innings pitched.
Bates and Monarrez put the Cowgirls up 2-0 with solo home runs in game two, but Colorado Mesa scored nine runs in the final four innings. In the bottom of the third, Madelyn Schulz singled and scored on Kovac's double.Hodgson and Woosley each added RBI doubles to put the Mavericks up for good. Boothe had his solo home run in the fourth and Hodgson – who finished the game with three hits, three RBI's and two runs scored – added a two-run shot in the sixth.
Senior
Jacquelyn Wood (1-3) took the loss in the circle for the Cowgirls, allowing three runs on six hits in three innings pitched. Joslynn Lopez evened her record in six decisions, allowing two runs and five hits in seven innings pitched.
Highlands finally will opens up home play next weekend (March 21-22) when it takes on CSU-Pueblo for two doubleheaders. Saturday's games begin at noon while Sunday's games kicks off at 11 a.m. The games will be available live on America One.
