Kearney, Neb. – Junior Jared Loschen allowed one earned run over seven innings and sophomore Luke Stamp went 5 for 5 with three RBI's to help the Nebraska-Kearney baseball team beat New Mexico Highlands, 5-3, late Thursday night at the RMAC Tournament in Pueblo, Colo.

The fifth-seeded Lopers (26-30) are the only 2-0 team left in the tournament and will play again Friday at 8:00 p.m. CST against the winner of sixth-seeded Regis and third-seeded Highlands (37-18).

The Rangers upset top-seed Metro State Wednesday but got blasted by fourth-seed Metro State, 19-8, to slip into the consolation bracket. In the early game Thursday, second-seeded Colorado State-Pueblo eliminated top-seed Mesa State, 6-4.

Locked in a pitcher's duel with Gilbert Palacios, Loschen (6-5) didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning. The Lopers moved ahead in the third when Stamp (Persia, Ia.), a left fielder, hit a one out RBI single to left. UNK then grabbed a 3-0 lead when sophomore DH Mike Stamp hit a two out, two-run double in the fourth.

Highlands finally got on the board in the fifth, thanks to a walk, single, error and passed ball. The Cowboys then tied the game in the sixth when James Mulroy (2 for 4) hit a two out, two-run double that knotted things up at three. With Mulroy at second and a teammate at third, Loschen got out of the sixth by getting Kristian Sifuentes to ground out to third.

UNK scored the winning run in the seventh when sophomore second baseman Daren Grace (3 for 4, three runs) led off with a single and took third after a failed pickoff attempt by Palacios. Two batters later, Stamp singled to right to make it a 4-3 ballgame.

Like the night before, UNK added an insurance run in its last at bat. Grace again left off with a single, took second on a sac bunt and then scored on Stamp's fifth single of the night.

Connecticut sophomore Ricky Muir worked the last two innings to earn his second save of the season. None of the six batters he faced reached base.

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