GOLDEN – A five-run first inning set the tone for the Colorado School of Mines baseball team to post a 7-5 victory over visiting Colorado Mesa in the final game of the four-game series at Jim Darden Field in Golden on Sunday. 

Mines (6-12, 3-7 RMAC) got another quality start from sophomore right hander Ben Gilman, who upped his season record to 3-1 after allowing nine hits and four runs (two earned) over eight innings of work. 

The Albuquerque, N.M., native struck out five and walked two over 115 pitches and has struck out at least five batters in each of his five starts this season. 

The Orediggers jumped on Colorado Mesa (15-4, 9-1 RMAC) starter Aaron Corwin for five earned runs in the first inning, including a leadoff solo home run by Charlie Basil in Mines' first at-bat of the contest. 

Mines added a pair of two-RBI doubles off the bats of Jordan Williams and Travis Ramos during the inning as well en route to taking an early 5-0 lead. 

The Mavericks added a run in the top of the third to cut the deficit to 5-1, but Mines added to its lead in the home half of the fifth frame. 

Basil plated the first run when he scampered home on a passed ball, and Williams added his third RBI of the game when he singled through the left side of the infield to score Nate Olinger from second. 

CMU added three runs in the top of the eighth to cut the deficit to 7-4, but senior Blake Dunham came in and closed the game with one earned run allowed in the ninth inning for his first save of the season. 

Williams led the offense with a 3-for-4 effort with three RBI and a run scored, while Basil and Olinger each added 2-for-4 batting lines. Basil also scored twice and put a run on the board with his first homer of the season in the bottom of the first inning. 

Ramos finished 1-for-1 with two RBI and Kyle Wallace added a 1-for-3 effort with a run scored. 

Evan Brown finished 0-for-1 but reached base three times after being hit by a pitch twice and walking once. Brown hit just .250 during the weekend at the plate but posted a .600 on-base percentage after wearing a total of six pitches over the four-game series. 

Mines will close out its current eight-game home stand next weekend with a four-game series against Metro State at Jim Darden Field in Golden.