Cowboys Lose Series to Thunderwolves

Las Vegas, NM- The New Mexico Highlands University Baseball team took on the Colorado State University-Pueblo Thunder Wolves in a doubleheader today.
 
Colorado State University-Pueblo Thunder Wolves Game 1
Junior pitcher Dakota Pacheco got out to a fast start as he sat the Thunder Wolve batters down in order in the top of the first. Senior Easton Garcia was the first Cowboy to reach base as he walked. Fellow Senior Jeremy McCarty hit the single that would bring Garcia home to give his team the 1-0 lead.
 
After two solid innings of pitching by Pacheco, the Thunder Wolves found a weakness as they scored 3 runs in the top of the third. The Cowboys wouldn't let Pueblo keep the lead for long however, as Senior Brad Blackwell smacked a triple to get on base. McCarty picked up another RBI as he hit the single that scored Blackwell. Then, Ornelas scored on a passed ball, knotting the game up at 3-3.
 
The Cowboys entered the sixth inning trailing, 3-5. Junior James Cordova was the first Cowboy to reach base in the inning as he walked. Junior Eduardo Perez hit a single to put the tying run on base. With the bases loaded, Senior Brian Chaparro walked, allowing Cordova to score. Sophomore Joseph Cilladi flew out to right field, but Perez tagged and ran home for the tying score. Garcia came up to the plate and hit a single, pushing Junior Danny O'Keefe across the plate to give the Cowboys the 6-5 lead.
 
Graduate student Avery Brandon came in the game at the top of the seventh as he relieved Pacheco. Brandon didn't skip a beat as he retired the Thunder Wolves in order to secure the 6-5 victory for the Cowboys.  
 
Colorado State University-Pueblo Thunder Wolves Game 2
Senior Cody Lawson started the second game on the mound for the Cowboys. He pitched well in the top of the first as he only allowed one hit with no runs. Ornelas got his team going in the bottom of the inning with a single. Cordova picked up and RBI as he hit the single that brought Ornelas home for the score.
 
The Thunder Wolves scored 5 runs in the next two innings as they took the 5-1 lead.
 
Lawson contained the Thunder Wolves in the top of the fourth as he kept them off of the board. Junior Codie Simmons led off the bottom of the inning with a double. Junior Preston Inman picked up the RBI off of a single as Simmons scored. Garcia came up and smacked a 3 run homer to clear the bases and knot the game up at 5-5.
 
After scoring 2 runs in the fifth, Lawson kept the Thunder Wolves off of the score board in the top of the sixth. Perez opened up the bottom of the inning with a big time triple. Then, Cilladi grounded out to second base, letting Perez score.
 
The Thunder Wolves started the seventh inning fast as they scored 3 more runs to take the 10-6 lead. The Cowboys opened up the bottom of the inning with a single from Blackwell. Ornelas picked up the RBI as he hit a single, allowing Blackwell to find home. Then, McCarty slapped a double that scored Sophomore Travis Spruiell. Cordova was up next as he flew out to left field, but McCarty tagged up and found home plate. The Cowboys made a strong push, but two straight outs would doom their comeback bid as they fell just short, 9-10.
 
The Cowboys will finish their series against the Thunder Wolves tomorrow, March 19^th, at 12:00 p.m.
 
Go Cowboys!