GOLDEN, Colo. - Dominating displays on defense and in the run game helped Colorado School of Mines roll past Western State, 45-7, on Saturday.

The Orediggers (2-2, 2-2 RMAC) used a 21-point second quarter to take control of the game as they rushed for 380 yards. The defense stuffed WSCU (0-4, 0-4 RMAC), limiting the Mountaineers to only 141 yards of offense including 19 yards on 35 rushing attempts.

Mines had a day to remember on the ground as Cameron Mayberry went for 155 yards and three touchdowns, Zac Guy had 95 yards and two scores, and quarterback Ben Bottlinger ran for 91 yards and a touchdown.

Logan Braden had a pair of interceptions and Jared Cooper had two of Mines' five sacks to lead the defense.

The first quarter ended 7-7 after Mayberry's 24-yard run opened the scoring but Western State responded with Zach Manchester's four-yard catch from Dylan Jacob. That would be WSCU's final points as Mines scored three times in the final 3:33 of the first half to flip a tie game into a 28-7 lead at halftime. 

After forcing WSCU to punt from their own end zone, Riley Hoff had an 18-yard return to start at the Western 34; three plays later, Mayberry was in the end zone to take a 14-7 lead. The Mines defense then worked a quick three-and-out keyed by Dean Wenger's third-down sack, and Guy then hit a 42-yard touchdown run on the second play of the drive to go up 21-7. Braden's interception then gave Mines the ball back almost immediately, and Bottlinger kept it for a three-yard scoring run with 48 seconds left to swing it to 28-7.

Mayberry broke out for a 59-yard scoring run on Mines' first offensive play of the third quarter, and Guy added a seven-yard touchdown early in the fourth before Matt Andersen was true from 28 yards to cap the game at 45-7.

Dean Wenger had a Mines-best eight tackles, including a sack, with Averie Mansfield making seven stops with 1.5 tackles for a loss. The Orediggers forced three fumbles (by Wenger, RJ Phillips, and Chase Nicolas) but didn't make a recovery; Braden had the two interceptions plus six tackles.

The Mines kicking game had a good day, with Grayson Harris going 6-for-6 on PATs, Andersen kicking the field goal and booting a 66-yard punt, and Austin Toussaint averaging 38.3 yards per punt while allowing only a single four-yard return.

Mines stays at home to host Fort Lewis on Homecoming next Saturday at noon.