COLORADO SPRINGS – Sophomore pitcher Drew Hill produced a record-setting performance on Sunday afternoon as the Colorado School of Mines Baseball team clinched a series victory over UCCS with an 11-10 win in the finale at Mountain Lion Park.
 
On the mound, Hill (6-2) snapped Mines' single-season strikeouts record as he made the start and pitched the win. The sophomore only needed three whiffs, but finished the game with six strikeouts over seven innings of two-run, seven-hit baseball. The Orediggers' previous single-season strikeouts record was 84, set by Rick Rail in 1999. Gabe Garvens earned his fourth save of the season as he came in for one out of work. Ian Durgin and Colin Morris also appeared in relief for Mines.
 
True freshman Noah Kuzma emerged as the big bat for the Orediggers. Kuzma was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate with four runs on two doubles and one home run while tallying three RBI. Trevor Kehe batted .600 on the day including two home run. Kehe also scored twice and racked up four RBI. Trevor Howard also notched a home run for Mines while coming across the plate three times on a 2-for-5 day at the plate. Caden Bonds accounted for the Orediggers' fourth double and also matched Kehe's .600 batting average. Additionally, Jace Selsor tied the program's single-game record with four walks. He matched teammate Trevor Howard who broke the previous record of three walks in one game on Friday in the series opener.
 
Mines (32-11, 23-9 RMAC) combined to hit .462 as a team while stacking up four doubles and four home runs for a combined slugging percentage of .872. UCCS (27-19, 19-13 RMAC) produced an overall batting average of .366, but fell victim to two errors in the field. The Orediggers remain alone at #2 in the RMAC standings with Colorado Mesa three games ahead at #1 and Dixie State one game back at #3. Also of note, the conference tournament field has been set. All that remains is the final seeding with one weekend of the regular season remaining.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sunday afternoon gave way to a myriad of weather conditions, but nothing seemed to faze Mines' production at the plate. Selsor opened the game with a walk and Joe Popp reached first base on an error by the UCCS shortstop. Kehe stepped to the plate and quickly cleared the bases as he pumped an opposite-field home run down the right-field line. That would cap the scoring in the opening frame with Mines comfortably leading, 3-0.
 
The early advantage allowed Hill to settle in early with two strikeouts and a shutout frame in the bottom of the first. Those two strikeouts tied the single-season record and Hill wasted no time in breaking the mark by striking out the first Mountain Lions batter of the second inning. The sophomore righty struck out the next batter as well on his way to another zero on the board while maintaining the 3-0 lead for the visitors.
 
Mines waited until the fourth inning to strike again, plating Kuzma on Selsor's RBI-single to centerfield for a 4-0 lead. However, UCCS used a two-run homer in the bottom half to break up the shutout and cut the Orediggers' lead in half. Mines brushed off the Mountain Lions' long ball to the tune of three runs on four hits in the top of the fifth inning. Kehe opened the frame with a solo shot to right-center field and Kuzma mashed a tater as well, jacking a two-run dinger to right field. That would make the score 7-2 in favor of the Orediggers.
 
The visitors notched two more runs in the top of the seventh with a RBI-double courtesy of Kuzma and a Daniel Cirula RBI-single to make it 9-2. Then, Mines added a pair of much-needed insurance runs in the top of the ninth, sparked by Trevor Howard's lead-off, solo bomb. The Orediggers' advantage quickly disappeared as UCCS tallied eight runs in the final two frames. However, Gabe Garvens entered the game needing one out and got just that on a ground ball back to the mound.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 9-4 in the all-time series against UCCS.
- The Orediggers have won eight series in the 2019 season.
- Hill's six strikeouts bring the sophomore to 88 strikeouts on the year and 96 in his career.
- Kehe finished the weekend batting .583 with 11 RBI on four home runs in just two games.
- Kehe also hit career home runs #32 and #33 which puts him alone at #2 on Mines' all-time list. He is just six career bombs back of teammate Mikey Gangwish.
- Garvens' save on Sunday gives the sophomore nine saves in his career and a 6-1 record.
- Head coach Robby Bales is 32-11 in his first season at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines closes the regular season May 3-4 against MSU Denver at Jim Darden Field. 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.