Denver, Co- The New Mexico Highlands University Baseball team took place in a doubleheader today against the Metropolitan State University-Denver Road Runners.
Metropolitan State University-Denver Road Runners Game 1
The Cowboys couldn't get their bats going through the first two innings, but Junior pitcher Dakota Pacheco was tough as well. He only allowed two hits in the first two innings, with no runs allowed.
The Road Runners broke the ice as they put up two runs off of three hits and one error in the bottom of the third inning.
Junior Luis Ornelas was the first Cowboy to reach base in the game as he was hit by a pitch. Senior Jeremy McCarty was able to get a hit on the board for his team as he homered, bringing Ornelas home with him. Pacheco got out of trouble in the bottom of the inning as the bases were loaded, but he found a way to retire the side with no damage done.
The pitching battle continued as they Cowboys could not get on base in the top of the fifth inning. The Road Runners pulled ahead in the bottom of the inning as they knocked in one more run to take the 3-2 lead.
The Cowboys would only got one more hit as Sophomore Joseph Cilladi singled in the sixth inning. They could not comeback to take the lead as they fell in the first game, 2-3.
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Metropolitan State University-Denver Road Runners Game 2
McCarty got the Cowboys going in the top of the first with a single. Then, Junior Eduardo Perez walked to put two runners on base. They would be left stranded however. Senior pitcher Cody Lawson started the bottom of the inning for his team. He had a solid start as he retired the Road Runners in order.
The Cowboys struck first in the top of the third inning as Sophomore Travis Spruiell led off with a single. Senior Brad Blackwell followed him with a single of his own, putting two on with no outs. McCarty grounded out to the short stop, allowing Spruiell to get home. Then, Junior James Cordova hit a single to center that gave Blackwell the green light to score, making the score 2-0. Lawson sat the Road Runners down in order once again in the bottom of the third.
Junior Codie Simmons singled up the middle to start the top of the fourth inning. Blackwell hit his second single of the game, pushing Simmons over to second base. Then, Cilladi doubled to bring home Simmons and Blackwell to make the score 4-0 heading into the bottom of the inning. The Road Runners finally got on the board as they nailed a two run homer to cut the deficit in half.
The Cowboys went hitless in the top of the fifth, and the Road Runners closed the gap even more as they pushed one more run across in the bottom of the inning.
Spruiell extended his team's lead to 5-3 in the top of the sixth as he blasted a solo homer. Lawson and Senior Dylan Norris combined to shut the Road Runners down in the bottom of the inning, giving their team a two run lead heading into the seventh and final inning.
Cordova was the only Cowboy to get a hit in the top of the seventh as he hit a single. They could not push another run across before their side was retired. Graduate Student Avery Brandon relieved Norris in the bottom of the inning. The Road Runners capitalized on two errors by the Cowboys field as they hit a single that scored three runs, giving them the 6-5 victory over the Cowboys.Â
The Cowboys will conclude their series with the Road Runners tomorrow, March 12th, at 12:00 p.m.
Go Cowboys!
