CANYON, Texas – The Colorado School of Mines Baseball team made a statement in its first-ever NCAA Tournament game with an 11-3 win over third-seeded St. Edward's at Wilder Park on the campus of West Texas A&M.
 
Tyler Blomster (9-0) was dominant on the mound, holding the Hilltoppers (33-20) to two runs on seven hits over 8.0 innings of work. Blomster struck out five batters and issued just two walks. Owen Starr pitched the ninth inning for Mines (36-16) and recorded one strikeout to bring the team total to six on the day. Tanner Lawson (11-3) wore the loss for St. Edward's as he surrendered nine runs on eight hits in just 6.0 innings.
 
Jace Selsor led the Orediggers at the plate as he went 2-for-6 with a double and his ninth home run of the season. Selsor scored twice and drove in five runs. Colton Wardle and Trevor Kehe also recorded multiple hits and combined to score four runs. Mikey Gangwish finished his day 1-for-5 with a pair of RBI while Gabe Garvens went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI of his own.
 
Mines struck first in the opening frame with a two-out RBI single from Derek Daly. However, SEU struck back with two runs in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead thanks to a balk and a couple doubles.
 
The very next inning, the Orediggers retook the lead thanks to six runs on three hits. Joe Popp led it off with a single and John Howard was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat. Phil VanZale reached on an error and a ground-rule double for Garvens made it 4-2, Mines. Selsor's three-run dinnger to deep right field gave the Orediggers a 7-2 lead.
 
With Blomster on the mound, the Orediggers did not look back as they turned a pair of double plays while adding insurance runs in sixth, seventh and ninth innings. St. Edward's managed one run in the bottom of the ninth but that would be all she wrote.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines now holds an all-time winning percentage of 1.000 in the NCAA Tournament.
- The Oredigger defense turned three double plays Thursday – the most in a single game since Feb. 18, 2017 at St. Edward's.
- Mines 3-2 in the season series against St. Edward's.
- The Orediggers have outscored the Hilltoppers 47-37 in 2018.
- Blomster is 14-2 in his career at Mines and holds the program's single-season wins record with nine.
- Wardle hit his fifth triple of the season and is now tied for third on Mines' all-time, single-season list.
- Mines has scored at least 10 runs in 24 games this year and recorded at least 10 hits in 32 games.
- The Orediggers are 18-2 when holding opponents under five runs and 33-4 when scoring six runs or more.
- Kehe is currently riding a 16-game hitting streak and 17-game reached base streak.
- Selsor leads the team with 26 multiple-hit games this season.

WHAT'S NEXT
Mines will play its second game of the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament Friday at 7 p.m. against the winner of Texas A&M-Kingsville vs. Colorado Mesa. Live stats and video will be available at www.MinesAthletics.com.
 
Keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all season long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.