Cowboys Take Down Thunderwolves and Grizzlies in Day Two

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Pueblo, CO- The New Mexico Highlands University Baseball team took on the Colorado University-Pueblo Thunder Wolves and the Adams State University Grizzlies.
 
Colorado State University-Pueblo Thunder Wolves
Senior Easton Garcia singled up the middle to lead off the top of the first. Senior Brad Blackwell was the next Cowboy to get on base as she also hit a single. It would be Senior Jeremy McCarty that would pick up the first RBI as he flew out, but it gave Garcia the chance to score. Pueblo was able to push 2 runs across in the bottom of the inning as Senior Dylan Norris was on the mound.
 
After a scoreless second, Junior James Cordova hit a single that would get Junior Luis Ornelas across for the game tying run.
 
The Cowboys did their best work with two outs in the top of the fourth. Garcia singled to right field, and then advanced to second with an infield error. Meanwhile, Junior Codie Simmons and Sophomore Travis Spruiell scored to give his team the lead. Blackwell capped off the Cowboys 3 run inning with a single that scored Garcia, giving his team the 5-2 lead. Pueblo was ableto get two hits in the bottom of the inning, but Norris would hold strong and kept the Thunder Wolves off of the board.
 
Norris continued to keep the Thunder Wolves in check until he was relieved by Graduate Student Avery Brandon in the bottom of the seventh. Brandon sat Pueblo down in order in his first work of the day.
 
Spruiell reached on an error in the top of the eighth to give his team one runner on early in the inning. Simmons flew out next, but Spruiell would find his way home. The Thunder Wolves scored once more in the bottom of the inning to make the score 6-4.
 
Brandon would hold strong in the ninth inning to conserve the 6-4 victory and pick up a save.
 
Adams State University Grizzlies
After a scoreless first inning, the Grizzlies broke the ice in the top of the second as they pushed one run across. McCarty singled to open up the bottom of the inning for the Cowboys. McCarty would find home plate later on with a wild pitch to tie the game up at 1-1.
 
Senior pitcher Corey Nelson kept the Grizzlies off of the bases in the top of the third as they could not earn a hit. Blackwell would open up the scoring for his team in the bottom of the inning as he doubled to left field, scoring Cilladi. Cordova would pick up 2 RBIs with a single that would score Blackwell and Garcia.
 
After Nelson only allowed one hit in the top of the fourth, the Cowboys added to their scoring total as Garcia smashed a two RBI homer, scoring Cilladi as well.
 
The Grizzlies answered back with a 1 run sixth inning, making the score 2-6. Junior Eduardo Perez came up with one of the biggest plays of the year for him as he crushed a grand slam home run in the bottom of the inning to give the Cowboys the 10-2 lead.
 
The Grizzlies were able to put a dent into the deficit in the top of the seventh inning as they scored 2 more runs, while the Cowboys struggled to get on base.
 
The Grizzlies rallied hard in the top of the ninth as they knew it was their last chance to come back. The Cowboys had to use three pitchers in the inning as Adams State scored 6 runs before the side could be retired. With the game tied at 10-10, the Cowboys had a chance to secure the win in the bottom of the inning, but they would not capitalize, forcing extra innings.
 
Neither team could break the tie in the tenth inning, forcing an eleventh inning.
 
After keeping the Grizzlies off the board in the top of the eleventh, the Cowboys had another chance to put the game away. Ornelas opened up the bottom of the inning with a single to get the game winning run on base. Ornelas was able to score off of a wild pitch, giving the Cowboys a dramatic 11-10 victory.
 
The Cowboys will conclude their road trip tomorrow as they take on the Thunder Wolves at 12:00 p.m.
 
Go Cowboys!