COLORADO SPRINGS – Senior first-baseman Jace Selsor became the Orediggers' all-time hits leader on Friday afternoon as the Colorado School of Mines Baseball team defeated UCCS in 21-15 fashion behind multiple record-breaking and record-tying performances at Mountain Lion Park.
 
Selsor's record-breaking hit was a solo home run to right field. He finished the day 3-for-5 with four runs scored and three RBI. However, the Texan wasn't even Mines' top hitter on the day. Trevor Kehe batted .667 with two runs and seven RBI on two bombs. Danny McDermott also hit two home runs with three runs and three RBI on a 3-for-7 day at the plate. Daniel Ciraula and Joe Popp joined Selsor as both Orediggers came around to score four times each. Popp also chipped in four RBI with one double on the day. Derek Daly capped it all off with a pair of runs and a pair of hits in the victory.
 
Nick Gardner (1-0) earned the win out of the bullpen thanks to 1.2 innings of two-hit, shutout relief. Owen Pigati (2-2) was Mines' starting pitcher but did not factor in the decision as he bowed out of the contest after 2.1 innings with one strikeout. Will Scott, Mitch Menard and Colin Morris also appeared in relief for the Orediggers. In total, Mines' pitching staff struck out eight batters.
 
Additionally, Mines (30-10, 21-8 RMAC) had a trio of Orediggers tie the program's single-game at-bats record as Popp, McDermott and Mikey Gangwish registered seven apiece on the afternoon. Furthermore, Kehe tied Mines' single-game RBI record by driving in seven. As a team, the Orediggers batted .447 and slugged .787 with five home runs and one double. However, UCCS (26-17, 18-11 RMAC) did out-hit the visitors with 22 knocks including four doubles and two home runs.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was another earl-and-often scenario for the Orediggers on Friday afternoon with Pikes Peak, America's Mountain, as the backdrop. Selsor started things off on the very first pitch of the game by taking the ball out to right field with the wind at its back. It was the only hit or run of the inning, but with the all-time hits record out of the way, it was far from the last.
 
Pigati and the Oredigger defense shut out the Mountain Lions in the bottom of the first and that led to six more runs for Mines in the top of the second. Trevor Howard drew a lead-off walk and McDermott followed up with his first dinger of the game down the left-field line as his brother Matt McDermott stood at shortstop for UCCS. That long ball opened the flood gates resulting in four more runs fueled by four straight hits from Ciraula, Selsor, Popp and Kehe. For those keeping score at home, that's a 7-0 lead for the Orediggers after two innings of play.
 
Pigati spearheaded another shutout inning in the bottom of the second thanks to a strikeout and Gangwish gunning down a baserunner attempting to take second. Ciraula came in on the putout. Solid defense led to another big offensive inning for the visitors in the third. McDermott led off with his second home run of the game, making him 2-for-2 with two bombs on the day. Five more consecutive hits from Caden Bonds, Ciraula, Selsor, Popp and Kehe provided four runs on five hits for a 12-0, Mines lead after three innings.
 
The home team finally responded with eight runs in the bottom of the third stanza thanks to grand slam. UCCS also tallied two runs in the fifth, three runs in the sixth and two more in the eighth. However, the Orediggers scored in all but one inning and could not be stopped. The surge was highlighted by Kehe's home runs in the sixth inning and the ninth inning. The first mashed tater by Kehe was of the three-run variety.
 
Despite the home team's 15 runs on 22 hits, it was defense that clinched the victory. Ciraula, Bonds and Selsor teamed up for a double play in the bottom of the eighth frame. Then, Gangwish caught another UCCS runner stealing in the ninth for the first out. Morris struck out the batter for the second out and Ciraula gloved a pop-up in shallow right-center for the final out of the game.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 7-3 in the all-time series against UCCS.
- The Orediggers boast an active four-game winning streak over the Mountain Lions.
- Friday marks Mines' fourth 20-run game of 2019.
- Gardner's pitching victory in the series opener marks the first win of his career.
- Selsor's 262 career hits topples the previous mark of 258 held by Nate Olinger (2013-16).
- Selsor also scored the 170th run of his career on Friday and notched the 28th home run of his career which ties him with Daly for #4 on Mines' all-time home runs list.
- McDermott now has two multi-home run games in his career accounting for all four of his long balls as a true freshman.
- Kehe's two dingers brings the redshirt junior to 31 in three years which is tied for #2 on the Orediggers' all-time home run chart. He only trails teammate Gangwish in that category.
- Kehe also moved up to #7 on Mines' all-time RBI list with 119 in his career.
- More on Kehe… over his last five games, the centerfielder is batting .650 with nine runs on 13 hits including 15 RBI on six home runs, one triple and three doubles for a slugging percentage of 1.800.
- Not to beat a dead horse, but that means Kehe has contributed 24 of Mines' 55 runs over the Orediggers' last five games.
- Pigati's strikeout on Friday marks the 80th of his pitching career at Mines.
- Let's not ignore the fact that Kehe has 59 runs this season which is #3 on the Orediggers' single-season list. He's also the category's record-holder after scoring 80 last season.
- Popp continues to lead Mines with 16 doubles on the season.
- Head coach Robby Bales is 30-10 in his first season at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines and UCCS continue their series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. at Mountain Lion Park in Colorado Springs. Live stats and video 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.