New Mexico Highlands (4-16, 2-6)
at MSU Denver (13-9, 4-4)
2 p.m. Friday | Noon Saturday (DH) | Noon Sunday
Denver, Colorado
WATCH | LIVE STATS
LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- The New Mexico Highlands baseball team hits the road to take on MSU Denver in a four-game series starting 2 p.m. Friday in Denver.
THE COWBOYS HEADING INTO THE SERIES | 2022 STATISTICS
NMHUÂ is coming off dropping three of four on the road at UCCS, winning the second game 5-3 and losing game one 5-1, game three 15-9 and game four 16-8.
Brandon Baier has broken through this season offensively for the Cowboys, hitting .400 with a 1.171 OPS thanks to a team-high five homers and 23 RBI to go along with five doubles and 13 runs. His 1.53 RBI per game is second in the RMAC and 26th in the nation.
Estevan De La O is hitting .348 (.917 OPS) with six triples (tied for first in NCAA Division II), 12 RBI, 13 runs and four doubles.
Jared Brown his hitting .342 with three homers, 14 RBI and a team-best seven doubles while
Aidan McNichol is hitting .338 with a homer, nine RBI and six doubles.
On the mound,
Hunter Vancurler out of the bullpen has been the team's best arm with a 5.00 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched (10 appearances. Fellow reliever
Dominick Castillo has a 5.25 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched.
MSU DENVER HEADING INTO THE SERIES | 2022 STATISTICS
The Roadrunners after taking three of four from No. 13 Colorado School of Mines dropped three of four on the road at CSU Pueblo - including two one-run losses.
MSU Denver has been paced by the long ball, hitting 36 homers this season - good for second in the conference and ninth in the nation. Four players have six or more homers in Bill Ralston (8 HR, 24 RBI, .322 AVG), Cam Yuran (6 HR, 25 RBI, .404 AVG), Ross Smith (6 HR, 26 RBI, 9 2B, .388 AVG) and Chase Anderson (6 HR, 23 RBI, .372 AVG). Zach Schuler leads the team in hitting (.436) and OPS (1.329) to go along with four homers, 14 RBI, six doubles and 18 runs.
MSU Denver's top starter this season has been Reichle Arcilise as he's 4-2 with a 3.00 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 36 innings. Opponents are hitting just .218 against the sophomore righthander this season. The Roadrunners are third in the conference in ERA at 5.80.
