Cowboys hit the road to take on UCCS

LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- A pair of teams that split series with nationally ranked teams last week face each other in a four-game set starting 3 p.m. Friday as the New Mexico Highlands baseball team travels to take on UC Colorado Springs at Mountain Lion Park.

The Cowboys are coming off splitting a weekend series with No. 16 Dixie State at home while UCCS split a four-game set with No. 1 Colorado Mesa at home.

That wasn't NMHU's last game played as the Cowboys dropped a nailbiter on the road to Lubbock Christian, 6-5, on Tuesday in extra innings - a Chaps team receiving votes in the top 25.

NMHU continues to be paced by its bats as the Cowboys are fourth in the RMAC in hitting at .314. Auggie Francis is second in the RMAC in hitting for the Cowboys at .456 while leading the conference in runs (35) and triples (5) to go along with six doubles and five home runs. Travis Spruiell and Eloy Reyna have seen their average jump as of late with Spruiell hitting .367 while Reyna is hitting .356. Jared Brown blasted his team-best sixth homer on Tuesday to go along with 21 RBI.

On the mound, Carl Shonrock and (1.54 ERA - 11.2 innings) and J.T. Mossberg (3.86 ERA - 18.2 innings) lead the Cowboy pitching staff out of the bullpen.

The split of the series for UCCS against top-ranked Colorado Mesa came at a time the Mountain Lions needed it after being swept on the road by Dixie State the week before.

UCCS ranks sixth in the conference in hitting (.302) and fifth in ERA (6.14).

At the plate, the Mountain Lions are led by the conference's leader in hitting in Matthew Clarke at .457 while he also has five homers, 11 doubles, 22 RBI and 25 runs. Matt McDermott is also hitting above .400 at .425 to go along with four homers, 11 doubles, 25 RBI, 27 runs and seven stolen bases. Evan Richards leads th team in home runs (10) while he's second in RBI while Jake Anderson leads the team with 28 RBI.

On the mound, Daniel Silva has been the Mountain Lions' top starter as he's 4-1 in eight games (seven starts) with a 3.68 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 44 innings. Opponents are hitting .230 against him. UCCS' closer Cam Aufderheide is 2-0 with four saves, a 0.84 ERA and nine strikeotus in 10.2 innings.