GOLDEN – No. 2/3 Colorado Mesa sent two runs across in the first and third innings and twice answered rally attempts by Colorado School of Mines baseball to record an 8-5 road win in the series-opener Friday at Jim Darden Field.

Mines (7-5, 2-3 RMAC) closed within 4-3 in the fifth on RBI singles from senior Evan Brown and sophomore Connor Lambert and a sacrifice fly by junior Nate Olinger.

The Mavericks countered with three in their next at-bat and followed a two-RBI shot through the middle by Brown in the bottom of the frame with a seventh-inning sac fly.

CMU (17-2, 9-0 RMAC) starter Matt Allen (2-0) held the Orediggers hitless over the final three innings to earn the complete game decision.

The men scattered 11 hits on Allen, led by Brown at 3-for-5 and the season-high three RBI.

Olinger went 2-for-3 with a walk, senior Nathan Fishel 2-for-4 with two runs and sophomore Logan Smith 2-for-5.

Junior Christian Rooney (3-1) suffered his first loss on the mound with five earned runs and 10 hits allowed and six strikeouts in 7.0 innings.

The teams are scheduled for two seven-innings contests Saturday, beginning at 1 p.m. in Golden.