Cowboys overcome walk-off, split two with CCU

LAKEWOOD, Colo. --- The New Mexico Highlands baseball team used a trio of homers to take game two against Colorado Christian and split a doubleheader with the Cougars on Sunday at All Star Field.
 
In a 9-6 win in game two, the Cowboys (14-24 overall, 7-17 RMAC) got a lead-off homer from Auggie Francis and a two-run shot from Carlos Ramirez to build a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth. CCU (11-26, 6-18) scored three times in the fourth to tie the game at 3-3 before Francis led off the fifth with a solo homer to make it 4-3. The Cowboys went on to score six runs in the inning – including a two-run single by Kalen Hammer and an RBI double from Gaylan Young – to make it 9-3 before holding on for the win.
 
Francis and Joe Cilladi were the two Cowboys to finish with multiple hits with Francis going 2-for-4 with two homers while Cilladi went 2-for-3 with a run and stolen base.
 
Kyle Bedsole went all seven innings for the win, giving up six runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and two walks to even his record on the season at 5-5.
 
In game one, the contest was tied 2-2 heading into the eighth inning when a sacrifice fly by Justin DeHoog scored Cilladi and gave NMHU a 3-2 lead. The Cougars answered, however, with a three-run eighth to take a 5-3 advantage (all unearned runs due to NMHU errors).
 
In the ninth the Cowboys were down to their last out when Jared Brown smacked a two-run double to tie the game at 5-5. But the Cougars walked it off with a sacrifice fly in the ninth to come away with the win.
 
Brown went 2-for-3 with two RBI for the Cowboys while Hammer was 2-for-4 as well. Hammer picked up the loss, going 0.2 innings and giving up a run on one hit. Kaleb Whitlock was solid in getting the start, going six innings and giving up two runs on six hits with two strikeouts and four walks.
 
The teams wrap up their four-game series with another doubleheader starting 11 a.m. Monday.