GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Seniors
Matthew Chavez and
Joe Cervantes blasted their team-leading fourth home runs of the season, but the Mavericks manufactured the win as New Mexico Highlands (9-10, 3-6 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) fell to Colorado Mesa (21-2, 13-o RMAC) 8-6 Friday night (March 20) in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Chavez hit a two-run blast in the first after a senior
Nick Gonzales triple, and Cervantes added a two-run shot after a senior
Morgan McCasland double in the third, but the Mavericks answered with a pair in both innings. Gonzales led the Cowboys with a 4-for-5 day at the plate with a run scored. Cervantes had a double and a home run in four at-bats with a pair of runs scored and two RBI's. Senior
Erick McRae (1-1) took the loss on the bump in relief, allowing four hits and three runs in the final three innings of work.
After Colorado Mesa took its first lead, 5-4, in the bottom of the fourth, the Cowboys answered in the top of the fifth. With one out, Cervantes doubled and scored on junior
Jesus Caporal's two-out hit. With Highlands trailing 7-5 in the seventh, the Cowboys loaded the bases with no outs but only scored one. McCasland and fifth-year senior
Omar Garcia both had hits around a Cervantes walk, but a junior
Kenneth Fudge groundout scored the only run as a shallow fly and strikeout kept the Maverick's lead.
Highlands went in order in the ninth.
In both the first and third with a run already scored with two outs, the Mavericks had men on the corners. The runner at first got in a run down to allow the runner on third to score. Kevan Elcock added a two-run shot in the sixth to break a 5-all tie, and Kevan Mitchell added an insurance run with a home run to lead off the eighth.
Kyle Serrano went 2-for-3 with two RBI's and a run scored to lead the Mavericks. Tyler Ehlers (3-0) picked up the win in relief and Joey Capistran picked up his first save of the year by getting the final four outs.
The Cowboys return to action tomorrow with a pair of seven-inning games against the Mavericks beginning at 1 p.m.
