Box Score GOLDEN, Colo. – Up two runs in the top of the ninth, the Colorado School of Mines let the first ever RMAC Championship slip through its grasp as Colorado Mesa rallied for a 4-3 victory on Sunday, May 8 at Jim Darden Field.

After taking the first two games of the series and a 3-1 lead into the ninth inning, Mines (28-13, 21-7) was tantalizingly close to its first ever conference title. CSM starting pitcher Christian Rooney had pitched a gem of a game and came back out in the ninth to try and finish off the game, but the Mavericks (39-10, 29-7) were able to tie the game off Davis Cantwell's two-run homerun.

The Orediggers turned to Brett Kovach, Sam Reed and Clark Martin to stop the damage, but Mesa squeaked out another run to spoil Mines' potential championship.

After a scoreless first inning, Mines struck gold first as they pushed across a run in the bottom of the second inning.

Cody Marvel led the frame off by working a walk off CMU starting pitcher Tanner Herdt. Marvel then went on to steal second which brought Joe Popp to the plate. Popped then burned a 1-2 single through the left side of the infield which allowed Marvel to easily round third and touch home.

After working through the first three innings unscathed, Colorado Mesa finally got something off Rooney with a run in the top of the fourth. With one out, Davis Cantwell singled to left field to drive in James Young III. While CMU threatened to plate more runs, Rooney got himself off the hook with a groundout fielder's choice and a fly out.

Not being able to eke out any more runs came back to hurt the Mavericks as Mines went ahead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth.

With one out and runners on first and second, Nate Olinger launched a double into left-centerfield to plate both Connor Lambert and Logan Smith. The hit was also the 253rd of Olinger's career which is now a new program-record.

From there, Rooney continued to put zeros up on the scoreboard until the ninth inning. For the game, Rooney went eight innings plus while giving up only three runs on six hits with four strike outs and four walks.

Connor Lambert and paced the Orediggers with three of the team's nine hits. Olinger supplied two more hits along with the pair or RBI.

Mines now heads next weekend to Grand Junction for the RMAC Tournament.

 
NOTE
Prior to today's game, the Colorado School of Mines athletic department in conjunction for the Mines baseball team honored eight Orediggers seniors for their contributions to the program. Kyle Alexander, A.J. Schillinger, Jack Bevan, Josh Martinez, Tommy Rodgers, Brett Kovach, Christian Rooney and Nate Olinger were honored along with their families