LAS VEGAS, N.M – Minot State baseball won its first game of the 2019 season with a 7-4 victory over New Mexico Highlands before falling 6-2 in the series finale in Las Vegas, N.M. on Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Beavers are 1-5 on the season while the Cowboys are now 7-5 on the year.
 
Game One: Minot State 7, New Mexico Highlands 4
 
How It Happened

• Celestino Rodriguez and Mason Gifford drew walks and Darrel Doll bunted an infield single to third base to load the bases in the fourth inning.
• Andrew Black followed with a bases-clearing triple to center field to give Minot State a 3-0 lead.
• The Beavers added three more runs in the next inning when Michael Borst's infield single scored Trevaun Smith and Darrel Doll's two-run double off the wall in left center scored Gifford and Borst.
• Minot State scored its last run of the game in the sixth inning on Wyatt Schlosser's RBI groundout to first base that allowed Ryley Humrighouse to touch home.
• The Cowboys scored three runs in the sixth and added another in the seventh, but Minot State held off NMHU to clinch the 7-4 victory.

 
Inside the Box Score

• Rodriguez and Doll notched a team-high two hits apiece.
• Smith, Borst, Gifford, Pokorney and Humrighouse recorded one hit.
• Pokorney tallied a team-high three RBIs while Doll added a pair.
• Starter Jaymon Cervantes improved to 1-0 on the season after allowing three runs on four hits and striking out nine batters in 5.2 innings of work.
• Jack Gamba pitched the final 1.1 innings in relief.

 
Game Two: New Mexico Highlands 6, Minot State 2
 
How It Happened

• The Beavers jumped on the Cowboys quick, scoring two runs in the first inning.
• Doll singled to left field with the bases-loaded, allowing Schlosser to score the first run of the game.
• Minot State doubled its lead when Andrew Black's sacrifice fly brought Borst home for the second run of the inning.
• NMHU got one run back in the bottom of the first inning before adding two in the second inning to take the lead for good.
• Leading 3-2, the Cowboys tacked on two runs in the fifth inning before adding their final run in the eighth inning.

 
Inside the Box Score

• Rodriguez, Pokorney and Humrighouse led Minot State at the plate with two hits each.
• Starter Sam Larson allowed three runs on six hits in one inning of work.
• Tyler Wiltshire threw four innings of relief while Zach Newman pitched two innings and Tannar Galey and Curtis Stahlecker tossed the final inning.

 
What's Next
The Beavers continue their season-opening road trip as Minot State travels to Tucson, Ariz. Minot State will play six games and two exhibitions over a span of seven days beginning on Friday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. vs. No. 11 St. Cloud State.