DENVER, Colo. - New Mexico Highlands scored four runs in the ninth to come back for a 7-4 victory over Metro State on Friday at Auraria Field in Denver, Colo. The loss for the Roadrunners dropped them to 13-9 overall and 4-5 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Cowboys improved to 10-10 overall and 4-5 in the RMAC.

Jordan Stouffer had an excellent day at the plate, collecting three of Metro State's 10 hits in the game. Dakota Nahm went 2-for-4.

Starter Ted Jamison pitched six solid innings, allowing three runs and striking out five. Ryan Eccles pitched two innings of relief, but left a runner on base when he left in the ninth. That runner tied the game as closer Ross MacDonald allowed Eccles' run to score and three more to take the loss.

Drew Vassil pitched a complete game for the Cowboys to earn the victory. Christian Garcia went 4-for-4 at the plate with two RBI to lead Highlands.

Metro State led 1-0 in the first on a one-out RBI double by Stouffer.

Highlands pushed one across in the top of the second to tie the game on a double by Garcia.

After the Cowboys took a 2-1 lead in the fourth, Metro State scored three in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Tyree Abshire brought Nahm home with a double to the left-center gap. Following a strikeout and a walk, Tommy Frikken reached on a fielding error by the shortstop to load the bases. Leadoff hitter Chris Redding then drove a two-run single to right to put the Roadrunners in front 4-2.

New Mexico Highlands closed cut the lead in half on another two-out RBI double by Garcia in the sixth.

Jamison gave way to Eccles after a leadoff walk in the seventh. Eccles got a strikeout and a double play, sandwiched around a walk to end the threat.

With Eccles facing the top of the Cowboy order in the ninth, he allowed a leadoff single to Garcia and was pulled for closer MacDonald. The lefthander walked and hit the next two batters to load the bases with nobody out. After coaxing a fielder's choice back to the mound to keep the score tied, MacDonald walked in a run to tie the score at 4-4. Crespin Perez then hit an RBI single to right to put the Cowboys in front. They added insurance runs on another hit batter and a squeeze play.

Metro State went down in order in the ninth.

The two teams will play two seven-inning games on Saturday beginning at noon at Auraria Field.