PUEBLO, Colo. — Colorado State University Pueblo scored five unanswered runs over the final four innings here Friday evening to post a 6-2 come-from-behind Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory over New Mexico Highlands in its 21st Pack the Park Game held in front of a season-high 850 fans inside Hobbs Field at Runyon Sports Complex.

With the win, the ThunderWolves improve to 15-19 overall and 7-10 in the RMAC, while New Mexico Highlands fell to 6-29 overall and 1-16 in league play. Friday's game was the first of a four-game RMAC series against the two teams.

NMHU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning thanks to a 2-run single by Ryan Rodriguez off of senior hurler Luke Ruby (Fort Collins, Colo./Resurrection Christian), who started Friday's series opener.

The Pack, though, responded in the fifth inning when junior catcher Jason Arriola (Riverside, Calif./Norco) scored on a throwing error by NMHU catcher Isaac McNair-Siegler on a failed pickoff throw. Arriola had walked to open the inning and moved to third on a bunt single by junior third baseman Jimmy Pelletier (Laval, Quebec/University of San Francisco) and an error by NMHU first baseman Nico Hilger.

CSU Pueblo took control in the seventh inning after Arriola singled, senior shortstop Kyle Miller (Pueblo, Colo./Colorado Mesa) and senior rightfielder Jeremiah Sanchez (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo West) drew walks to load the bases with two outs, junior designated hitter Jake Hixenbaugh (Atascadero, Calif./Monterey Peninsula) delivered a decisive blow, ripping a bases clearing triple to deep center field to give the Pack a 4-2 lead.

The Pack added some insurance runs in the eighth inning as sophomore Dax Howard (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) brought home the Pack's fifth run on his pinch-hit RBI single through the right side. The sixth and final run came home when junior pinch hitter Yahir Ramirez (Fontana, Calif./TAMU-Corpus Christi) stole home on a double steal attempt as Howard stole second base to give the Pack a 6-2 lead.

In the top of the ninth, junior Jack Novak (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Thunder Ridge) retired all three batters he faced in the inning, including striking out Lubby Marrujo to end the game.

Ruby, who was credited with a no-decision, allowed two runs on six hits over six innings, while striking out four and walking two to lower his season ERA to 4.13. Senior Cole Bloomer (Parker, Colo./Lamar CC) improved to 4-1 on the season as he tossed two shutout innings of relief to pick up the victory.

Despite recording just five hits, CSU Pueblo capitalized on six walks and timely hitting. Hixenbaugh finished 1-for-4 with a game-high three RBI and a triple, while Arriola scored twice and Howard added an RBI off the bench.

New Mexico Highlands was led by Ryan Rodriguez, who drove in both runs with a third-inning single. Highlands finished the game with six hits and two errors.

Andrew Baltazar (1-6), who tossed 103 pitches, took the loss as he pitched seven-plus innings and allowed four hits and six runs, while walking six and striking out three.

The teams combined to leave 11 runners on base as the Cowboys stranded six and the Pack left five runners on base. The Pack also turned their league-leading 35th double play in Friday night's win.

CSU Pueblo and Highlands continue the four-game weekend series with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, at Rawlings Field.