GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The #9-ranked Colorado School of Mines Baseball team dropped both games of its doubleheader on Saturday against #5-ranked Colorado Mesa at Suplizio Field, falling 4-3 in game one and 11-0 in game two.
Joe Popp was the Orediggers top hitter on the day with a pair of base knocks for a combined average of .333.
Trevor Kehe proved to be the top slugger, notching two doubles while scoring two of Mines' three runs.
Jace Selsor, Travor Howard and
Mikey Gangwish accounted for the Orediggers' three RBI.
On the mound,
Walter Pennington (3-1) and
Drew Hill (2-1) both started for Mines. Despite striking out a total of 19 batters, both Orediggers were dealt their first losses of the season. Pennington pitched 6.2 innings while Hill went 5.0. The duo gave up a combined nine runs on 10 hits in 11.2 innings of work.
Cannon Sims,
Sam Slusser,
Toby Scoles and
Nate Giefer all appeared in relief.
Mines (13-5, 4-3 RMAC) is now amid a three-game slump after dropping its first doubleheader of the season. The pitching staff finished the day with 19 strikeouts in 12.2 innings, but gave up 13 walks as well. Colorado Mesa (18-2, 6-0 RMAC) strengthens its grip on first place in the RMAC standings, now boasting a nine-game winning streak.
Game One: Colorado Mesa 4, Mines 3
The Orediggers opened the day determined to bounce back from its loss in the series opener on Friday. Kehe put Mines on track to do just that as he started the game with a leadoff double on a 0-2 count. Two batters later, Gangwish drove Kehe in, giving the visitors an early, 1-0 lead. Kehe scored again in the third inning thanks to a RBI-single from Selsor. However, Mesa matched the Orediggers run-for-run to make it 2-2 after five innings of action.
In the top of the sixth frame,
Trevor Howard drove in
John Howard thanks to a single up the middle. That run would send Mines into the final half inning with the starter Pennington still hurling and a 3-2 advantage. Unfortunately for the Orediggers, it was not meant to be. Pennington quickly worked the first two outs of the bottom of the seventh inning, using a strikeout and a ground ball to pull within one out of victory. Mesa responded with back-to-back hits, an intentional walk and what proved to be a walk-off single to cap its two-run, comeback victory.
Game Two: Colorado Mesa 11, Mines 0
Following the heartbreak of game one, Mines came into the second game with fire on the mound. Hill tossed three flawless innings, retiring nine straight batters with six strikeouts along the way. Disaster struck in the bottom of the fourth frame as Mesa's Hunter Douglas broke up the perfect game with a leadoff home run to left field.
That home run would open the flood gates for the home team. Mesa put up crooked numbers in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, scoring two runs, three runs and six runs with no response from the Orediggers. Pinch-hit appearances from
Trevor Howard,
Lucas Ciacco and
Danny McDermott proved unsuccessful in the top of the seventh inning as Mesa cruised to victory.
NOTABLES
- Mines' last three-game skid came April 28-29 of last season when it hosted Colorado Mesa at Jim Darden Field.
- Kehe now has two games with two doubles after hitting a pair of two-baggers in the series finale at Angelo State.
- Scoles made his 2019 debut on Saturday in game two of the doubleheader.
- Sims notched his first collegiate appearance on the mound in the game two of Saturday's doubleheader as well.
- Mines' starting pitching trio of
Tyler Blomster, Pennington and Hill have a combined 106 strikeouts in 15 starts.
- Head coach
Robby Bales is 13-5 in his first season at the helm.
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines and Colorado Mesa play their series finale Sunday at 12 p.m. at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction, Colo. Live stats and videos 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.
