MINES BASEBALL DROPS PAIR TO HIGHLANDS

GOLDEN, Colo. - The Colorado School of Mines baseball team lost two games to New Mexico Highlands in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at CSM Field. NMHU took the opener, 10-6, and won the nightcap, 4-2.

In game one, Highlands (25-12, 9-5 RMAC), which is ranked 25th in the latest NCAA Division II poll, broke open a 3-3 tie with five runs in the sixth inning. Lucas Hastings and Eric Honea highlighted the inning with back-to-back homers.

CSM junior Ryan Oliver (Littleton, Colo./Heritage) took the loss and fell to 3-6 this season. He lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs (five earned) on eight hits and fanned one. Rudy Sierra picked up the win for NMHU as he fired a complete game, allowing six runs, all earned, on nine hits. He fanned six.

Mines junior leftfielder Mike Ott (Louisville, Colo./Monarch) went 2-for-4 with two RBI, while sophomore first baseman Tully Gallagher (Red Lodge, Mont./Red Lodge) and sophomore third baseman Joel D'Cristina (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo Central) each drove in one run.

Honea finished the opener 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and scored two runs.

In game two, the Cowboys plated three in the third inning and another in the seventh after Mines had sliced the lead to 3-2 with a pair of tallies in the fifth stanza.

Rafael Sixtos threw a complete game and earned the win (3-0) as he allowed two runs, both earned, on six hits and struck out four. CSM junior Vince Ruscetta (Westminster, Colo./Standley Lake) took the loss to slip to 0-7. He lasted 2 2/3 innings, giving up three runs and six hits.

Mines (12-28, 4-11 RMAC) will conclude its four-game series with NMHU on Sunday afternoon with a single nine-inning game at 12:00 pm at CSM Field.

-- OREDIGGERS --