#9 Mines (13-2, 4-0 RMAC) vs. #2 Colorado Mesa (16-2, 4-0 RMAC) – Friday, 6:05 p.m. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
#9 Mines (13-2, 4-0 RMAC) vs. #2 Colorado Mesa (16-2, 4-0 RMAC) – Saturday (DH), 1 p.m. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
#9 Mines (13-2, 4-0 RMAC) vs. #2 Colorado Mesa (16-2, 4-0 RMAC) – Sunday, 12 p.m. [Live Stats] [Live Video]
 

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ON THE RMAC NETWORK
Every Mines home game and RMAC road game can be seen live and for free on the RMAC Network at www.minesathletics.com/tv. The RMAC Network can also be found on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Android TV devices by going to the app store and searching "RMAC".
 
WESTERN SLOPE SHOWDOWN
The #9-ranked Colorado School of Mines Baseball team is headed to the Western Slope for a much-anticipated showdown with #2-ranked Colorado Mesa. Mines rolls into Grand Junction riding a 12-game win streak. Mesa awaits as the preseason favorite to win the RMAC with six consecutive wins of its own. This weekend marks the first meeting between the two teams since they met in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. Colorado Mesa won that game and ended Mines' season as the Mavericks advanced to the championship game. No matter what way you cut it, the weekend should not disappoint.
 
WEATHER REPORT
As it currently stands, the Orediggers and Mavericks should see sunshine all weekend. Friday's forecast calls for a few clouds with a high of 49 degrees. Saturday projects clear skies and a high of 54. Sunday's finale provides the best weather yet with sunshine and high of 56 degrees. Unlike the Front Range, Grand Junction and the Western Slope provide more stable weather patterns, so a light jacket and some sunscreen should suffice for fans planning to attend the weekend series.
 
LOOKING BACK
Mines opened its 2019 RMAC slate last weekend against New Mexico Highlands at Jim Darden Field. The Orediggers swept the series with wins of 10-4, 8-7, 9-5 and 15-14. Despite some close margins, Mines only trailed once the entire weekend at that was after the top of the first inning in the series finale. Tyler Blomster, Walter Pennington, Drew Hill and Colin Morris all collected wins on the mound. At the plate, Derek Daly hit over .500 and slugged over .800 with 10 RBI and three home runs. Additionally, true freshman Noah Kuzma hit the first home run of his career.
 
SCOUTING COLORADO MESA
Just like Mines, Colorado Mesa has only lost two games this season. The first was a 11-9 decision to Cal State – L.A. in St. George, Utah. The second loss came in extra innings against Fresno Pacific in California that ended in a 4-3 walk off. The Mavericks' offense is well rounded with six individuals putting up double-digit RBI and eight more with double-digit runs. Jordan Stubbings boasts the top batting average at .393 with seven doubles on the season. Hunter Douglas is arguably their top slugger with seven doubles and five home runs including 20 RBI on the year. On the mound, JR McDermott is the man to watch at 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA and 27 strikeouts. After battling injuries the last two seasons, it appears McDermott is back on his game.
 
UNBRANDED YOUNGIN'
Formerly known as Mesa State, Colorado Mesa claims the nickname Mavericks for its athletics teams. In the context of CMU, a maverick is defined as an unbranded calf or yearling. However, the term more commonly refers to an unorthodox or independent-minded person. Maverick is also the nickname of Tom Cruise's character in the 1986 film Top Gun, as well as a steel roller coaster and Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Maverick is also the title of the famous western television show created by Roy Huggins, running from 1957-62, starring James Garner.
 
SAM SUPLIZIO FIELD
Sam Suplizio field is touted as one of the premier baseball stadiums in the country. It was opened in 1949 and recently underwent an 8.3-million dollar renovation. It's owned by the city of Grand Junction and also hosts the NJCAA Division 1 National Tournament as well as home games for the Colorado Rockies minor league affiliate, the Grand Junction Rockies. The 10,000-seat stadium offers luxury boexes, concessions, chairback seating with dugouts up to major league size specifications. The surface is natural grass with measurements of 365 feet to left field, 400 feet to center field and 350 feet to right field.
 
RECENT HISTORY
The ongoing rivalry between Mines and Colorado Mesa has only grown in intensity over the past decade. That rivalry reached a peak last season, in 2018. Mines won the first three games of the regular-season series in dominant fashion before dropping the last three to go 3-3 prior to the postseason. Mesa then welcomed Mines to Grand Junction for the 2018 RMAC Baseball Tournament. The Orediggers and Mavericks met in the championship series where Mesa won two straight to lift the RMAC Cup. The two teams had won more meeting, as previously mentioned, in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. Mesa also won that showdown, giving the Mavericks a six-game winning streak over the Orediggers headed into this weekend.
 
RUNNIN' HOT
Mines has won 12 straight games to give itself the longest winning streak in program history. It started with a 15-12 win in the series finale at Angelo State. The Orediggers then proceeded to rip off three consecutive series sweeps including at St. Edward's, then at home against Sioux Falls and New Mexico Highlands. It's easily Mines' best start to a season in program history and is built on the power that has become the Orediggers' trademark. With 23 home runs and 28 doubles in the first 15 games, Mines is averaging 8.3 runs per game.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Mines baseball continues its run in the national rankings, sitting #13 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers National Top-25 and #9 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. The Orediggers' top-10 mark in the CBN came on Monday as the coaches provided their first poll of the regular season. In the NCBWA poll, Mines started the season receiving votes, before rising to #16 last week and now #13. Colorado Mesa sits #2 according to the NCBWA and #5 in the CBN. As always, fans should note that these polls have nothing to do with selection to the NCAA Tournament – simply serving as a guidepost until the release of the official NCAA Regional Rankings in mid to late April.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Mines continues its eight-game road trip March 22-24 as it travels to Regis for a four-game set in Denver. Live stats and video of the three-game series will be available at www.minesathletics.com