LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Cowgirls took a 5-2 lead after the first inning of game one, but the Grizzlies capitalized on the home team's miscues as New Mexico Highlands (13-21, 7-14 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) lost 14-8 in game one and 14-3 in game two against Adams State (15-15, 13-11 RMAC) Friday afternoon (April 3) in Las Vegas, N.M.
Down 2-0 after the top of the first, the Cowgirls struck for five in the bottom of the first thanks to three walks. Junior
Ka'iulani Kamai led off the game with a single and advanced to third when sophomore
Gabby Hansell walked and freshman
Destiny Navarro hit a single to load the bases. Junior
Ashton Borunda and sophomore
Katelyn Bates walked to tie the game before senior
Jessica Brink drove in a pair with a single. A fielding error by the visitors scored the fifth run of the game for the Cowgirls.
Navarro was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI's when she added a home run with two on in the bottom of the sixth. Brink fell to 7-9 on the season in the circle, allowing 14 runs (11 earned) with five strikeouts in a complete game.
Adams State got the home run swing going with five blasts in game one, including an inside-the-park shot. It was Erica Haugum with the two-run home run in the first while Kyana Quarrell added an inside-the-park shot to cut the Cowgirls lead to 5-4 after two innings. A three-run shot by Haugum and a solo home run by Kelsi Kautz in the third put the Grizzlies up 8-5 after three innings.
Marissa Harmon, in her only hit in three at-bats, added a grand slam in the sixth to cap the scoring.
Haugum had two hits in as many at-bats with three runs scored and five RBI's. Kautz went 3-for-4 with two RBI's and a run scored. Kaycee Prevedel (5-2) got the win in relief in the first game, allowing two hits and three runs.
Game two saw the Cowgirls give up 14 runs, 13 unearned, on five errors. After Highlands put a pair on thanks to two errors, Erika Ecsedy singled a run home. Haugum then singled a pair home and a two-run double by Tayler Else put the visitors up 5-0 in game two before the Cowgirls even stepped to the plate.
Kamai doubled and scored on Hansell's single in the bottom of the first.
In the second, Ecsedy hit a two-run home run and Harmon added a solo shot. Harmon hit two home runs in the game and three on the day, adding a two-run blast the very next inning to finish with two blasts in four at-bats with two runs scored and three RBI's. Adams State went up 8-1 after two innings and never looked back in the 11-run win.
Four Cowgirls went 1-for-3 in game two as Navarro had a pair of RBI's. Freshman
Michelle Brincefield took the loss in game two and falls to 4-6 on the year. She allowed five hits and runs (one earned) in 1.2 innings of work.
Ecsedy led the visitors with three hits in four at-bats with four RBI's and three runs scored. Kelsey Sellers picked up the win to improve to 8-7, allowing three hits and one unearned run in 3.1 innings of work.
The Cowgirls return to action Saturday (April 4) with another doubleheader against Adams State at 11 a.m.
