GOLDEN, Colo. – The #16-ranked Colorado School of Mines Baseball team extended its winning streak to 12 games on Sunday afternoon as the Orediggers completed their sweep of New Mexico Highlands with a 15-14 victory at Jim Darden Field.
 
Derek Daly fueled Mines' win, batting 1.000 with two home runs, three runs scored and six RBI. Noah Kuzma notched a dinger for the Orediggers as well, finishing the day with two runs and three RBI. Jace Selsor joined the extra-base hitting festivities with a pair of doubles. John Howard added a two-bagger of his own and Trevor Kehe capped it off with a triple. Overall, every starting batter tallied at least one hit with six individuals turning in multi-hit performances.
 
Owen Pigati (0-1) took the mound as Mines' starter but did not factor in the decision, despite bowing out with the lead after 3.1 innings. Colin Morris (1-0) was credited the victory in relief, tossing 2.2 innings of three-run, eight-hit baseball. Sam Slusser (1) earned the save thanks to two nearly-flawless outs. Nash Neff, Nate Giefer and Mitch Menard also came out of the bullpen for the Orediggers.
 
Overall, the home team scored its 15 runs on 16 hits for a combined batting average of .432. Seven hits for extra bases resulted in an overall slugging percentage of .811 for the Orediggers. After the opening weekend of RMAC play, Mines (13-2, 4-0 RMAC) sits tied for #1 in the conference standings. New Mexico Highlands (7-9, 0-4 RMAC) hit .405 as a team in Sunday's finale and also hit two home runs. However, the Cowboys were hurt by three errors and four walks on the defensive side of the ball.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
New Mexico Highlands struck first for the first time in the four-game set, scratching out two runs on a pair of walks and a double in the opening frame. Mines didn't bat an eye in its response, using a pair of three-run home runs to take a 6-2 lead after just one inning of play. Daly and Joe Popp hit back-to-back singles the very next inning to make it 7-2. On that same play, Popp was nearly ejected for a collision at the plate, but the contact was ruled to be non-malicious.
 
The Orediggers continued to roll on offense with six runs over the next three innings. Daly's solo shot accounted for a lone run in the fourth frame. Then, Mines exploded for five runs on five hits in the bottom of the fifth inning. Mixed into the offensive outburst was a bunt for a hit by Phil VanZale along with a two-run double from Selsor.
 
With the home team's offense running hot, NMHU's two runs in the fourth inning and three in the sixth seemed inconsequential. However, the game nearly got out of the Orediggers' hands right before the stretch as the visitors racked up five runs on three hits in the top of the seventh inning. A Cowboy home run highlighted the surge, but Giefer came in from the bullpen and recorded a strikeout to stop the bleeding.
 
Mines responded with a pair of much-needed sacrifice flies in the bottom half, but New Mexico Highlands got those runs right back in the eighth inning. The Orediggers entered the final frame needing three outs for the sweep while clinging to a 15-14 advantage. Menard worked the first out for the home squad and Slusser stepped in for the final two with a line-out to right field and a ground ball to the shortstop.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 11-1 against New Mexico Highlands at Jim Darden Field since 2015.
- The Orediggers are off to their best-ever start to a season in program history.
- Kuzma's home run on Sunday marks the first of the true freshman's career.
- Daly is up to nine home runs on the season and 23 in his career, alone at #4 all-time at Mines.
- Daly also surpassed 100 RBI for his career with 10 on the weekend.
- Mines' 12-game winning streak is built on three straight series sweeps.
- Slusser notched the fourth save of his career Sunday against NMHU.
- Kehe recorded one home run and two triples in the four-game series.
- Pennington is 14-5 in his pitching career, tied for #6 on Mines' all-time wins list.
- Garvens has eight saves in his career with an overall mark of 6-0.
- Head coach Robby Bales is 13-2 in his first season at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines travels to Grand Junction, Colo., March 15-16 to face #2-ranked Colorado Mesa. Live stats and video of the series 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.