GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines Baseball team broke the program record for wins in a season on Friday as the Orediggers defeated MSU Denver 10-3 and Dixie State 8-7 to advance to the 2019 RMAC Tournament Championship game.
 
Mines' sweep was fueled by numerous outstanding performances. Mikey Gangwish led the offense with a .750 batting average that featured three home runs and two doubles on a five-hit day. Gangwish also scored five runs and drove in five more with a 2.125 slugging percentage. Trevor Kehe turned in a .750 batting average too, racking up six hits with one double and two home runs. Kehe finished the two-game day scoring five times and notching three RBI. Derek Daly, John Howard and Joe Popp all joined the home run party as well.
 
The Oredigger pitching staff matched the dominance of the hitters. Drew Hill (8-2) kicked the day off with a complete-game, nine-inning victory. Hill surrendered just three runs on five hits with nine strikeouts on 116 pitches. Tyler Blomster (10-2) took the ball in game two and earned the win behind six innings of two-run, four-hit baseball – striking out 13 batters along the way. Gabe Garvens (5) provided the save in game two thanks to 1.2 innings of flawless relief. Colin Morris and Mitch Menard also came in out of the bullpen.
 
At 39-12 on the year, the 2019 Oredigger Baseball team boasts the most wins in program history. The team combined to hit .308 in the two contests while hitting four doubles and eight home runs. Mines' pitchers teamed up for 26 strikeouts and also held opposing hitters to an overall average of .214. MSU Denver (28-24) watched its season come to a close after going 1-10 over its last 11 games. Dixie State (35-19) will await the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday to see if the Trailblazers' season continues after they entered the RMAC Tournament ranked #6 in the South Central Regional Rankings.
 
Game One – Mines 10, MSU Denver 3
As illustrated by the final score, game one of the day was all Mines. The opening frame featured three Oredigger dingers off the bats of Popp, Kehe and John Howard. Each home run came with two outs and two strikes in the count and afforded Mines a 6-0 lead after just half an inning of action.
 
Despite the opening outburst, the Orediggers took a four-inning hiatus from scoring. However, Hill and Mines' defense held down the fort. The sophomore pitcher struck out two Roadrunner batters in the bottom of the first inning and one more in the third inning as he carried a shutout into the fourth frame. MSU Denver managed a leadoff home run to get on the board, but Hill bounced back with a ground ball and two more strikeouts.
 
Mines' offense reengaged in the sixth inning and scored single runs in the final four stanzas of action. That span featured a Gangwish home run and a RBI-double from Jace Selsor. Meanwhile, the Roadrunners attempted a rally in bottom of the ninth with a two-run home run from co-RMAC Player of the Year Matt Malkin. Hill shut down the rally quickly with two balls in the air to Popp in left field.
 
Game Two – Mines 8, Dixie State 7
The 90-minute break between games saw the skies clear and sun set reflecting off the Rocky Mountains. Game two of the day provided a higher level of intensity and stress as Dixie State scored first with one run in the first inning and another single run in the second frame. Despite trailing 2-0, Blomster continued to grind on the mound with one strikeout in the opening volley followed by three in the second inning and two more in the third.
 
Mines' offense woke up in the bottom of the third inning with a pair of two-run home runs. Kehe smacked the first one with Popp on base. Daly mashed the second tater with Gangwish on base, giving the Orediggers a 4-2 lead. Mines continued using the long ball to increase its lead thanks to Gangwish's two-run dinger in the fifth inning and another two-run bomb from Gangwish in the second inning to make in 8-2.
 
Blomster continued his roll by whiffing two hitters in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth inning. However, the junior's biggest strikeout of the game came in his last frame. With bases loaded full of Trailblazers, Blomster bowed up and notched an eight-pitch strikeout to keep it 8-2 in favor of the Orediggers.
 
Dixie State put forth its best effort of rallying to victory in the top of the eighth inning, racking up five runs on five hits. However, Garvens moved from third base to the mound and stopped the bleeding. He recorded a strikeout and then benefited from a diving-play by Daniel Ciraula at second base. In the top of the ninth, the sprinklers came on at Sam Suplizio Field which allowed Garvens to wash his face and wet his whistle before notching a pop fly and a ground ball for the first two outs. Then, the sophomore Texan closed it out by fielding a ground ball and diving to the bag at first base to record the final out.
 
NOTABLES
- Since 2016, Mines is 10-7 in the RMAC Tournament.
- Blomster became Mines' first 10-win pitcher in program history with his win on Friday night.
- Gangwish now has 46 home runs in his career which ranks all alone at #2 in RMAC history.
- In the 2019 RMAC Tournament, Gangwish is batting .600 with seven runs and 12 RBI on three doubles and five home runs.
- Kehe currently boasts a RMAC Tournament batting average of .625 with seven runs and 10 hits including two home runs and two doubles.
- Blomster is the first 10-win pitcher in Mines' history, breaking his own single-season wins record. His 13 strikeouts on Friday are tied for second-most in a single game in Oredigger history.
- Derek Daly scored the 100th run of his career on the 32nd home run of his career on Friday afternoon.
- John Howard's home run marks the fifth of his career at Mines.
- Hill's nine strikeouts put the sophomore over 100 on the season.
- Garvens save marks the 10th of his career.
- Blomster also has 210 career strikeouts which ranks #2 in Orediggers' history.
- Head coach Robby Bales is 39-12 in his first season at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines faces top-seeded Colorado Mesa on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the RMAC Tournament Championship game. The Orediggers will need to beat the Mavericks twice to win their first-ever RMAC Tournament title. Live stats and video of the games 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.