LAS VEGAS, N.M. - Apparently, no one in the Cowboys' line-up wants anyone to have the solo team lead in home runs.
New Mexico Highlands (16-18, 10-14 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) saw senior Morgan McCasland briefly take the team lead in home runs (seven) before being equalized by fifth-year senior Omar Garcia in the bottom of the first as the Cowboys upended Colorado Christian (13-25, 6-22 RMAC) 9-6 Sunday afternoon (April 12) in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
With Highlands trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the first, McCasland blasted the first pitch he saw to left for a two-run home run. After an out, Garcia hit the 1-1 pitch in basically the same spot as McCasland to put the Cowboys ahead 4-2 after one.
The Cowboys led 7-6 in the bottom of the eighth when fifth-year senior Matthew Chavez added a pair of insurance runs when he hit a moonshot to right with a man on. It was Chavez's fifth home run of the season.
Chavez, McCasland, Garcia and senior Colby Wilmer all had two hits and at least a run scored, but it was Chavez who had four RBI's for the game. Redshirt freshman Curtis Hynes came out of the bullpen for the win to improve to 4-2 on the season while McCasland tallied his fifth save of 2015, the third in as many games.
Highlands had golden opportunities to bust the game open, but single tallies were all it could manage in the second, fourth and fifth. The Cowboys loaded the bases with one out in the second before Chavez had an RBI hit by pitch. However, the Cougars got a strikeout and a flyout to end the threat. In the fourth, senior Andrew Ratterman advanced to third with one out and scored on a passed ball.
A Garcia single and bunt hits by junior Jesus Caporal, Wilmer and senior EJ Stanton scored a run and had the bases loaded, but a shallow fly and a double play ended the threat in the fifth.
The Cougars got to junior starter Alex Gutierrez from the first at-bat. Ryan Silva, Taylor Dudley and Zach Scott all singled to begin the game and plated a run, but the Cowboys got a key caught stealing. A ground out and flyout scored another run, but ended the Cougars threat. Dudley added a two-run home run in the third and Dustin Conley briefly tied the game at six after the top of the fifth with a two-run double.
However, a key defensive play kept the Cowboys ahead after seven innings. With two outs and a runner at first, Conley hit a sharp single to right center that fell just under the glove of the center fielder. However, senior Joe Cervantes came up firing and hit Gonzales on the cutoff. Gonzales relayed home to Stanton, who easily tagged the runner at the plate.
Dudley went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI's. Michael Cantrell took the loss out of the bullpen in his first decision on the year, allowing five hits and one run in 2.1 innings pitched.
The Cowboys return to action Friday (April 17) with a critical series at Adams State as the teams are tied for the fourth spot in the RMAC Tournament. First pitch is scheduled Friday at 3 p.m.
