CANYON, Texas – Trevor Kehe broke the Colorado School of Mines Baseball team's single-season hits record Saturday, but it was not enough as the Orediggers suffered their first loss of the NCAA Tournament in a 5-2 decision against Texas A&M-Kingsville at Wilder Park.
Kehe broke the record with one single in four at-bats.
Colton Wardle continued his postseason success, going 2-for-3 with a double including one run and a RBI.
Jace Selsor also had two hits and a RBI, while
Joe Popp accounted for Mines' other run.
Jake Englehart (5-1) made the start for Mines (37-17) and suffered the first loss of his career despite surrendering zero earned runs.
Matt Martin provided 4.2 innings of one-run, six-hit relief with a pair of strikeouts. Kyle Craft (6-1) tossed a complete-game victory for Texas A&M-Kingsville (40-15).
Both teams put up zeros in the first inning, but the Javelinas came up big in the second inning. An Oredigger error combined with a pair of walks and a single put Mines in a 4-0 hole.
The next four innings turned into a defensive battle as the Orediggers and TAMUK put up zero after zero on the scoreboard. Despite another Javelina run in the sixth inning, Mines would not be kept down.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Orediggers staged their rally. Popp led the inning off with a single and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Wardle smacked a one-out double to break up the shutout and make it 5-1. Selsor hit a RBI single to make it 5-2, but Kingsville shut the surge down with a ground ball and fly ball in foul territory.
NOTABLES
- Mines holds an all-time winning percentage of .667 in the NCAA Tournament.
- The Orediggers are 1-2 in the season series against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
- Mines has used just five pitchers over 29 innings in the NCAA Tournament.
- Kehe is currently riding a 18-game hitting streak and 19-game reached base streak.
- Kehe now has 84 hits on the year.
- Wardle is batting .500 and slugging 1.000 with six runs, three RBI and two stolen bases in the NCAA Tournament.
- Selsor recorded the 200th hit of his career in Saturday's game.
- Mines sits just two wins away from a NCAA Division II World Series berth.
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines faces Colorado Mesa Sunday at 12 p.m. (CT) in an elimination game for both teams. The winner takes on Texas A&M-Kingsville at 4 p.m. (CT) for a South Central Regional title and a berth in the 2018 NCAA Division II College World Series. 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.
