The Mesa State Mavericks and the New Mexico Highlands met in the RMAC Tournament Championship in Kearney, Nebraska. It was the the tenth meeting between the two schools on the season with Mesa State holding the edge, six games to three. This time the Cowboys got the edge 8-6 over the Mavericks.

            Once again, weather played an issue in the game as the wind was blowing straight out to left field. In the opening game, the wind was blowing out to right field.

            Mesa State didn't waste anytime getting on the board when Brett Nigbur stepped to the plate. Nigbur belted a homerun that crashed into the scoreboard in left center field to give the Mavericks the early 1-0 edge.

            New Mexico Highlands came back and scored four runs in the first inning off Maverick starter Tim Moore. Moore had a chance to get out of the first inning without allowing a run when he induced an infield pop up to  the right side of the infield but, 2B Erik Nordine and 1B Chase Moore both slipped on the outfield edge and the ball fell in fair.

            The Cowboys would tack on a single run in the bottom of the second inning to push their lead to 5-1.

            Brett Nigbur would strike back would strike back in the top of the third inning. Nigbur laced a 2-RBI single through the left side of the infield to cut the Cowboy lead to 5-3. Those were RBI's number sixteen and seventeen on the weekend.

            The Mavericks would cut the lead once again on a Chase Moore solo homerun to left center field that cleared the Memorial Field scoreboard. The Cowboy lead would shrink to one, 5-4.

            The Cowboys would extend the lead in the bottom half of the fourth inning. New Mexico Highlands would score five runs on five hits but strand the bases loaded.

            The Mavericks would answer in the top half of the fifth inning when Brett Nigbur hit a sacrifice fly that scored Austin Buck from third to cut the score to 8-5.

            The score would remain that way until the top of the eighth. when Ian McKnight drove an RBI single to left center that scored Ken Evanson. That made the Cowboy lead 8-6.

            Tyler Shaddy came in and shut the door for the Cowboys who would win the tournament after reaching the final the last three years.

            The Mavericks will now await word from the NCAA Selection Comittee on whether or not they will be included in the NCAA Tournament. Stay tuned to Mesamavs.com for the latest information