LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- The New Mexico Highlands baseball used a pair of first-inning homers to take an early 3-0 lead, but couldn't hold on as Colorado School of Mines rallied and the Cowboys fell 8-4 in Thursday's series opener at Brandt Field.
Jared Brown blasted his 12th homer of the season - a two-run homer to right center - and
Joe Kuhn followed with his 11th homer of the season - a solo shot to left - to make it 3-0 NMHU (12-25, 8-13) over the Orediggers (23-11, 8-9) after one inning.
But CSM scored two in the third, one in the fourth to tie it nd three in the fifth to make it 6-3 Orediggers before Brown homered again in the bottom of the fifth - a solo shot down the right field line - to make it 6-4 CSM. But the Orediggers scored two more in the sixth to make it 8-4 and neither team scored a run the rest of the way.
Brown led the Cowboys going 2-for-4 with two homers and three RBI while
Kalen Hammer finished 2-for-4 as well.
Hunter Waugh took the loss, going six innings and giving up eight runs on 11 hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
Hunter Vancurler was very effective in relief - going three scoreless innings and giving up just one hit and one strikeout.
The teams play a doubleheader starting at noon Saturday at Brandt Field.
