Box Score Kearney, Neb. - Oscar Almeida recorded his 12th save to help New Mexico Highlands holds off Nebraska-Kearney, 4-3, in a RMAC Tournament first round game Wednesday afternoon in Pueblo, Colo.

The fifth-seeded Lopers (18-32) will play an elimination game Thursday at 1:00 p.m. Central against sixth-seed Colorado School of Mines. The Orediggers fell 13-5 to top-seeded Colorado Mesa in the tourney's second game.

Chris Prokupek (7-5) blanked UNK for the first seven innings before the Lopers scored two in the eighth and one in the ninth to make things real interesting.

However, Kearney left the bases full in the eighth and saw the tying runner stranded at third in the ninth. Over the last four games, UNK is batting .214 (25 for 117) and scored a total of seven runs.

In the top of the eighth, UNK scored twice thanks to two singles, a balk, two walks and hit batter. With one out and the bases full of Lopers, Richard Sandoval got a strike out and then Almeida came in and got a ground out to get out of the jam.

UNK, however, put the pressure on Almeida in the ninth thanks to a lead off walk and an infield single. A passed ball moved the runners up but, facing the three, four and five hitters, Almeida got a ground out and two K's to end the game.

Senior lefty Mike Loseke (4-6) was the tough luck loser, allowing four earned in seven full innings. Fanning four and walking four, he gave up eight hits and worked his way out of couple of early jams.

At the plate, junior RF Alex Miller (Millard West) went 2 for 5 from the two hole and redshirt freshman SS Dillon Schoreder (Kearney Catholic) went 2 for 3 from the eighth spot.