Cowboys walk away with split after 20-18 win in game 1 against UCCS

Las Vegas, NM --- The New Mexico Highlands baseball team walked away with a two-game split with UCCS after winning the first game 20-18 today at Brandt Field in Las Vegas, NM.
 
In a game that combined for 38 runs and 42 hits, the Cowboys were able to hold UCCS in the top of the ninth inning to take game one 20-18.
 
The Cowboys got the ball rolling early in the first inning after taking a 9-0 lead over the Mountain Lions as Gaylan Young stepped up for his first at-bat of the day to knock a 3-run homerun over left field as Estevan De La O and Charles Morgan reached off base on balls. Morgan made it 9-0 with another 3-run shot over right field after De La O singled and scored Joe Kuhn from third base.
 
The Mountain Lions would respond in the top of the third inning by scoring eight runs that was highlighted by a grand slam from UCCS Riley Gregory. The Mountain Lions held the Cowboys scoreless in the bottom half and took the lead after scoring two runs in the top of the fourth inning.
 
Morgan answered with a solo shot over center field to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Young doubled to right field as Kuhn moved him to third with a single through the left side before Jesus Chavez gave the Cowboys the lead with a sacrifice fly to deep right field to score Young from third base. An Aidan McNichol double to right field scored Kuhn as Brandon Baier brought in McNichol with a single up the middle to give the Cowboys a 13-10 advantage. De La O extended the lead with a shot to the third basemen to see the Cowboys go up 14-10 after four.
 
JT Mossberg and the Cowboys held the Mountain Lions scoreless for 2 innings while adding a run in the bottom of the fifth inning before UCCS put up three runs in the top half of the seventh inning.
 
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Morgan doubled to right field before a Fabian Ferreira double would score Morgan to give the Cowboys a 16-13 lead. The Cowboys then took a 17-13 lead as Brandon Baier scored Ferreira with a single up the middle.
 
The bats were not finished for the Cowboys as they would use four hits in the bottom of the 8^th to score three runs and take a 20-13 lead over UCCS. Young stepped up to the mound to finish off the game in the ninth inning as the Cowboys would go on to win game one 20-18 after striking out Gregory looking.

The Cowboys finished the game with 23 hits and 6 errors as Estevan De La O finished with a game high 4 hits and 3RBI while Morgan fished the day 3 for 5 with 5 RBI.
 
JT Mossberg received his first win of the season after stepping in in the third inning and allowing 8 hits with 2 strikeouts in five innings pitched. Jadrian Martinez gave up 9 runs off 9 hits and 2 strikeouts in 3 innings.
 
Game two was all Mountain Lions as UCCS held the Cowboys to 9 hits after registering 19 hits and 21 runs of their own, which included 10 runs off 5 homeruns in the top half of the fourth inning.
 
Ashton Roy and Kalen Hammer led the Cowboys with 2 hits apiece as Jesus Chavez registered a hit and an RBI. Freshman Brady Salyards received his first loss of the year after giving up 19 runs off 10 hits and 2 strikeouts in 3 innings pitched. John Slape (7 runs, 4 hits, 2 strikeouts), Brandon Baier (3 runs, 4 hits), and Griffin Logan (1 run, 1 hit) all pitched a whole inning for Cowboys.
 
The Cowboys and Mountain Lions will be back in action tomorrow morning with a double-header scheduled to start at 11 am. Live stream and Live stats will be available at nmhuathletics.com and spectators will not be allowed.
 
GO COWBOYS!!