LAS VEGAS, N.M. - Facing a 5-0 deficit against the Cougars in game one after the first inning, the Cowboys got their two-out hitting going as New Mexico Highlands (15-18, 9-14 RMAC) rallied for an 8-5 win in game one and 6-4 in game two against Colorado Christan (13-24, 6-21 RMAC) Saturday afternoon (April 11).
Down 5-1 at the halfway point in game one, the Cowboys rallied for the 6-5 lead in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs and no one on, junior Jesus Caporal singled to center. Senior Mike Sordia snuck one through the middle infield before senior Colby Wilmer was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Senior Andrew Ratterman cut the deficit in half with a single while Wilmer advanced to third. Classmate Nick Gonzales singled in another run while Ratterman took third. Fifth-year senior Matthew Chavez added a single through the right side to tie the game as Gonzales took third. Senior Joe Cervantes put the Cowboys in the lead with their sixth-straight single in the game.
Highlands scored a pair of insurance runs in the sixth. Ratterman tripled to lead off the inning before a hit-by-pitch and two walks scored him. Fifth-year senior Omar Garcia added a sacrifice fly to put the Cowboys up 8-5. Senior Morgan McCasland retired the side in order in the seventh for his then-third save of the year.
Ratterman went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI's while Gonzales had two hits in as many at-bats with three runs scored and an RBI. Junior Avery Brandon picked up his first win of the season, allowing seven hits and five runs (four earned) in six innings of work.
Colorado Christian scored all five of its runs in the top of the first. After two walks to lead off the game, Zach Scott and Dustin Conley singled in a run. Taylor Dudley reached on an error to score another run before Austin Atkerson singled in a pair of runs before any out was recorded in the game. However, Brandon got a flyout and a double play to end the inning.
Scott is the lone Cougar with two hits, adding a run scored and an RBI. Matt Weaver fell to 0-5 on the mound, allowing nine hits and six runs (five earned) in five innings of work.
Game two saw the Cowboys rally from a 2-0, inning one deficit. After Garcia doubled to begin the frame, he scored on a pair of groundouts. In the third, Ratterman doubled and went to third on a groundout. The Cougars got a shallow fly, but a key error opened the flood gates. Cervantes reached on a fielding error to score Ratterman to tie the game. McCasland scored Cervantes on a double and a single by Garcia opened up a Highlands 4-2 lead.
Wilmer capped the Cowboys' scoring with a solo home run in the sixth, his first home run of the season.
Senior Anthony Badalucco (3-4) picked up the win, allowing six hits and four runs in 6.1 innings pitched.
Colorado Christian used plenty of pinch hitters to make things interesting in the seventh. Down 6-2, Chance Richardson singled to center. Mark McMahon scored him on a double. Danny Graves then grounded out to move the runner to third before McCasland came in for another save opportunity. Jack Nelson grounded the ball deep in the hole at first that Gonzales looked like he was going to get to, but it hit the lip of the grass and took a weird hop to allow Nelson the RBI double. However, McCasland got a groundout and a strikeout for his fourth save of the season.
The Cowboys look for the series win against Colorado Christian Sunday (April 12) with a nine-inning game with the Cougars at noon.
