Power surge in fifth helps Cowboys upend No. 16 Dixie State, 11-8

LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- A power surge in the fifth inning, late insurance runs and timely pitching helped the New Mexico Highlands baseball team hand 16th-ranked Dixie State its first loss in RMAC play 11-8 Friday in the series opener at Brandt Field.
 
The Cowboys (8-13 overall, 1-8 RMAC) trailed the Trailblazers (18-5, 8-1) 5-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning before Gaylan Young blasted a one-out, solo homer to right to cut the deficit to one. After a groundout and a walk, Eloy Reyna went opposite field for a two-run homer to give the Cowboys a 6-5 lead – a lead it wouldn't give up. For good measure, Garrett Hammer yanked a ball out of the yard right after Reyna's shot to make it 7-5 Cowboys.
 
NMHU increased the lead to 9-5 after Justin DeHoog hit an RBI double and Cody Reilly followed with an RBI single in the sixth inning.
 
The Trailblazers closed the gap to 9-8 in the top of the eighth with a pair of runs after scoring one in the seventh, but a DeHoog RBI single and Reilly sac fly in the bottom of the inning made it 11-8 heading to the ninth.
 
In the ninth, sophomore Kaleb Hammer moved from shortstop to the mound and closed the game – giving up just a lone walk to pick up his first save as a Cowboy.
 
Kyle Bedsole got the win in relief for NMHU, going five innings and giving up five runs (three earned) on eight hits with a strikeout and two walks.
 
At the plate, Reyna led the way for the Cowboys by going 3-for-4 with a home run, double and four RBI. Auggie Francis increased his RMAC leading average after going 3-for-4 with a double and three runs while DeHoog, Young, Garrett Hammer and Joe Cilladi each had a pair of hits.
 
The series continues noon Saturday as the teams play a doubleheader at Brandt Field.