ALAMOSA, Colo. (April 18, 2015) – It's not how you start but how you finish. That statement held true for Adams State University on Saturday as the Grizzlies rallied in both games to sweep New Mexico Highlands University in a twin bill affair.

The critical wins currently position ASU into the fourth and final RMAC playoff spot with nine games remaining in the regular season.

Adams State heads into tomorrow's final home game of the season with a 16-24 overall mark and a 12-15 conference record. The biggest threat to ASU's postseason dreams remains Highlands who holds a 17-20, 11-16 RMAC record after Saturday.

Game One
Behind a Dillon Bollig grand slam in the third and a Jaron Dorchinez solo shot in the fifth, ASU took the opening game of the twin bill, 6-2. With one out in the third, Bollig's shot gave the Grizzlies their first lead of the game at 4-2. Dorchinez's shot extended the lead to 5-2 as Drew Wells tacked on another insurance run in the sixth with a fielder's choice to score Tyler Thurston.

Despite the strong finish it was Highlands who took an early 2-0 lead in the third. The frame was the only blemish for starter Andrew MacMahon who threw a complete game to move to 3-4 on the season. MacMahon allowed just four hits in seven innings of work and did not give up a hit after the third inning. The senior also struck out two and forced 12 ground outs in his stellar performance. It marked the third complete game for MacMahon in 2015. At the plate Bollig went 1-for-3 along with three RBI's and one run scored.

Game Two
It was not the start pitcher J.D. Heredia envisioned as the senior gave up five runs in the top of the first. The erratic frame included four hits, a walk, and a hit baseman. Much like MacMahon in game one, Heredia settled down going forward to the tune of only three NMHU hits after the first inning.

Huggins gave ASU their first run of the game in the second with an RBI single up the middle to score Zach Moldenhauer. However, that was the only source of offense for the Grizzlies until the bottom of the sixth.

Entering the frame trailing 5-1, ASU put forth a memorable five-run rally to claim a 6-5 lead over the Cowboys. Adams State sent 11 batters to the plate which all began with a leadoff double by Dorchinez who quickly scored via a Huggins RBI single. After a Marco Garmendia single and a Dillon Granzella walk, the bases were juiced for Chris Morley. With one out, Morley wasted little time as he singled on the first pitch he saw to bring Huggins and Garmendia around home.

Now trailing 5-4, ASU pushed ahead of Highlands with three consecutive walks issued to Bollig, Moldenhauer, and Dorchinez. The walks kept the base paths full of Grizzlies with the Moldenhauer walk knotting the game at 5-5. Dorchinez's free trot to first sent Thurston in to score for the eventual game-winning run.  

Rather than making a move to the bullpen, head coach Jim Capra kept Heredia on the bump for the top of the seventh. Heredia wasted little time to prove his head coach made the correct decision as the senior needed only eight pitches to record two strikeouts and a fly out to complete the Saturday sweep for ASU.

In his first complete game of the season, Heredia allowed five runs on seven hits while fanning six batters.  He threw 105 pitches during his outing to notch his team-leading fourth win of the year. Morley finished 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBI's as Huggins was also 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI's along with a run scored. Dorchinez accounted for two RBI's and a run while going 2-for-3.

ASU and NMHU complete their series tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. from the ASU Baseball Field.