LAS VEGAS, N.M. (GoThunderWolves.com – Mar. 9, 2014) — The Colorado State University-Pueblo saw a 10-2 lead turn into an 11-10 deficit before answering back to tie the game at 11 in the eighth. However, the ThunderWolves then suffered another heartbreak in the bottom of the ninth as the New Mexico Highlands University Cowboys claimed a wild 12-11 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win, Sunday afternoon here at Brandt Field to split the 4-game weekend series evenly.
The Pack, who fell to 7-9 overall and to 3-3 in the RMAC, had scored three runs in the third and six more in the fourth to go up 10-2 before the Cowboys posted six runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh to go up 11-10.
CSU-Pueblo's Scott Hoyt (Sr., Longmont, Colo.), who went 3-for-5 with four RBI, including a 2-run homer in the third, then tallied his third run-scoring hit of the game to plate Austin Mascorro (Jr., Oxnard, Calif.) in the top of the eighth to tie the score.
However, Andrew Ratterman delivered the game-winning single with one out in the ninth to push the Cowboys to 7-10 overall and to 4-3 in the RMAC, good for a half-game lead in the RMAC Plains Division standings pending results of the Metro State at Adams State Sunday doubleheader.
The game, which featured five lead changes, was a cracker from the start as Mascorro, who went 3-for-4 with four runs and three RBI, led off by rounding the base on a play scored as a triple and fielding error by NMHU shortstop Tyler Hayes.
Javier Ledford then hit a 2-run homer in the bottom of the second to give the Cowboys a 2-1 lead before Mascorro singled in the top of the third to drive in Cameron Buckles (Sr., Parker, Colo.) to tie the game. Two batters later, Hoyt homered to drive in Mascorro and put the ThunderWolves up 4-2.
The ThunderWolves then exploded for six unearned runs in the fourth as five straight Pack batters tallied 2-out run-scoring hits against three different Cowboy pitchers. The biggest blow of that barrage was a 2-run Evan Kenebrew (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo.) double.
However, Ratterman drove in a single run in the bottom of the fifth to start the Cowboys' comeback, which included a Colby Wilmer sixth inning solo homer.
The Cowboys then used momentum to record their 6-run barrage to take over the lead once again.
Mascorro then drew a 2-out walk in the eighth to innocently start a rally, that included Hoyt's third and game-tying hit after Dominick Bregar (So., Pueblo, Colo.) was plunked.
After holding the Cowboys scoreless in the eighth, the Pack drew a lead-off walk to begin the ninth. However, that was erased by a double play, which helped set Ratterman and the Cowboys up for the heroics
The Pack's 1-4 hitters went a combined 10-for-18 in the game as they led the ThunderWolves to 14 hits overall. The Cowboys banged out 15 of their own.
The Pack, who have now played 10 straight on the road over the last three weekends, will return home to face Adams State in a 4-game series beginning next Friday at 3 p.m. at Rawlings Field.
