COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – In what would be an offensive battle, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs takes game two of the series against New Mexico Highlands University at a final score of 15-7 at Mountain Lion Park.

New Mexico Highlands out-hit the Mountain Lions 14-13 in the ball game, but UCCS came out on top as Matt McDermott and Ryan Schmidt led the team with 4 RBI each as eight different Mountain Lions recorded a hit to contribute to the eight-run win.

Junior Christian Manmano got his first start as a Mountain Lion, going 4 2/3 innings and giving up four runs (all earned) off nine hits. The pitching committee of Hayden Salverda, Christian Lewis, and Jon Sotto came in relief as they combined for only three runs off five hits. Sotto went a full two innings of work as he gave up one hit and registered three strikeouts to close out the game.

UCCS (16-12, 8-6 RMAC) was able to jump out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning due to a three-run home run by Schmidt, that drove in Evan Richards and John Mallon who each reached on a walk.

NMHU (9-18, 2-12 RMAC) answered back with a run in the top half of third after stringing together three consecutive hits to cut into the UCCS lead 3-1.

In the fourth inning, the Mountain Lions put a crooked number on the scoreboard by scoring seven runs off six hits to take a commanding 10-1 lead. Cody Norton got the high scoring inning started with a leadoff double to right center, as Mallon followed with his second walk of the game to place runners on first and second. After a double steal placed both Norton and Mallon into scoring position, Walker Rumsey walked to load the bases for the team leader in doubles, Matt McDermott. Up 2-0 in the count, McDermott laced an inside fastball down the left field line to bring in all three runners and stand on second for a three-RBI double. Matthew Clarke followed suit by hitting a double down the left field line to tie McDermott for the team lead in doubles, and record an RBI in the process. The heavy hitting Jake Anderson came up next to record his first hit off the day as he drove in Clarke with an RBI single to right center. Clean-up hitter Evan Richards then closed out the inning with his 11^th home run of the season to right field.

After UCCS' strong fourth inning, the Cowboys wouldn't back down as they continued to score six runs over the span of the fifth, sixth, and seventh inning. NMHU scored those six runs off seven hits to close in on the UCCS lead, 10-7.

The Mountain Lions bounced back after two scoreless innings to put up five insurance runs with three runs in the seventh, and two runs in the eighth. UCCS registered their five runs off five hits to solidify their 15-7 win.

With the inclement weather changing the series schedule on Saturday, UCCS and NMHU will play a double-header on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. to wrap up the conference series.