Mines (0-0, 0-0 RMAC) vs. MSU Denver (4-0, 0-0 RMAC) – Friday, 4 p.m. – Jim Darden Field [Live Stats] [Live Video]
Mines (0-0, 0-0 RMAC) vs. MSU Denver (4-0, 0-0 RMAC) – Saturday, 12 p.m. – DH – Jim Darden Field [Live Stats] [Live Video]
Mines (0-0, 0-0 RMAC) vs. MSU Denver (4-0, 0-0 RMAC) – Sunday, 11 a.m. – Jim Darden Field [Live Stats] [Live Video]
 

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FINALLY
The Colorado School of Mines Baseball team will finally start the 2021 season this weekend with a four-game series against MSU Denver at Jim Darden Field. First pitch in the opener will mark 363 days since the Orediggers last took the field for a game against an opponent. The series also serves as Mines' home openers and the start of the 2021 RMAC slate. The Orediggers were originally supposed to start their season Feb. 12-14 against Fort Hays State but weather forced the games to be postponed. Friday will feature a single, nine-inning game starting at 4 p.m. followed by a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m. and the single-game finale on Sunday at 11 a.m.
 
NO SPECTATORS POLICY IN PLACE
Until further notice, no spectators are permitted at Mines home events. Away games may have differing policies, and those will be posted on the Mines Baseball schedule page the week of the game. All remaining games this season will stream live and for free on the RMAC Network. Live stats are also available on minesathletics.com.
 
GROUND RULES
The biggest change to this season for NCAA Division II baseball is a truncated schedule as teams can only play a maximum of 40 regular-season contests this season. The RMAC schedule and postseason will operate normally, with the RMAC Tournament determining the conference's qualifier to the NCAA Championships. Until further notice, no spectators will be admitted to Mines home games due to university policy; road contests may have different policies and those will be posted on the Mines Baseball schedule at minesathletics.com and on social media as they're determined.
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Every Mines home game and all RMAC games can be seen live and for free on the RMAC Network at www.minesathletics.com/tv. Additionally, the Orediggers' home games will feature play-by-play commentary from Miles Dunklin who covered a handful of games during the shortened 2020 season. 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". Fans can also follow @OrediggersBSB on Twitter for live in-game updates.
 
NOW, WHERE WERE WE?
When Mines last took the field, the team was riding a six-game winning streak and had just swept New Mexico Highlands in the 2020 RMAC openers. The Orediggers were preparing to host then #4-ranked Colorado Mesa when the season abruptly ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mines closed the season with an overall record of 12-6 while sitting 4-0 in the RMAC. Individually, Caden Bonds was swinging a hot bat, hitting .400 with 15 runs and 15 RBI off of three doubles, one triple and three home runs. Noah Kuzma and Jason Hall both carried the big stick for Mines with five home runs apiece. Additional offensive leaders featured Trevor Howard with 19 runs while Alex Bumpus touted three stolen bases. On the mound, Drew Hill had been dealing with a 4-0 record in six appearances which led to a 3.57 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 22.2 innings of work. Tyler Blomster was the Orediggers' strikeout leader at 39 over 30.1 innings. True freshman Zachary Kriethe had already racked up three saves and boasted a 1.86 ERA plus a 0.93 WHIP in 9.2 innings and seven appearances. And now, you're mostly caught up.
 
SCOUTING MSU DENVER
MSU Denver makes the short trip to Golden with four games already under its collective belt. Ironically, the Roadrunners 2021 opener was against the aforementioned Fort Hays State Tigers. MSU Denver swept the series with victories of 16-10, 7-2, 16-8 and a 5-4, extra-innings thriller in the finale. The Roadrunners hit .403 as a team over the four-game set including 11 doubles and 10 home runs. Individually, Colin Stone hit .667 and Bill Ralston earned RMAC Player of the Week thanks to a .600 average with two home runs and six RBI. Caleb Albaugh also hit .600 while Owen Reynolds hit .583. On the mound it was Cade Crader leading the way with 12 strikeouts in 4.2 innings while giving up just one unearned run on three hits. He did not factor in the decision. As a team, MSU Denver currently ranks #1 in the nation in batting average and slugging percentage while sitting #2 in on-base percentage and #3 in home runs per game.
 
YES, WE'RE DOING THIS AGAIN
Those who have followed Colorado School of Mines Baseball for the past three years and also read this preview, know that learning about the opponents and their mascots has become a bit of a tradition. Since it's been 363 days since the Orediggers last contest, we'll start with the basics. Roadrunners, along with being MSU Denver's nickname, are members of the cuckoo family. They are found chiefly in arid country which fits the Denver climate. Despite being considered a bird, Roadrunners are unable to stay airborne for more than a few minutes due to their short wings. The bird can run up to about 17 miles per hour thanks to the unique x-shaped footprint they bear. Roadrunners also have the ability to lower their own body temperatures by going into torpor at nighttime. And so it begins.
 
SERIES HISTORY
It has been 363 days since Mines played any competitive baseball at all, but Friday will mark the first time the Orediggers and Roadrunners have faced off in over 660 days. The last meeting was May 10, 2019 in the RMAC Tournament. Mines ended MSU Denver's season with a 10-3 victory in Grand Junction, Colo. Trevor Kehe and Mikey Gangwish combined to go 6-for-9 with four runs and one home run apiece. Drew Hill earned the win by going the distance, striking out nine batters over 9.0 innings and giving up just three runs on five hits. Overall, the data available for the all-time series currently dates back to 2009, but the rivalry is much older than that. However, we'll take what we can get. Since 2009, Mines holds a 31-25 advantage in the series and is 14-3 since the 2017 season.
 
HISTORIC JIM DARDEN FIELD
Jim Darden Field – also referred to as Darden Field or just Darden – is located in the heart of the Clear Creek Athletics Complex and provides one of the most beautiful settings in the world for baseball. The fully-lit stadium has seating accommodations for 500 spectators with commanding 360-degree views of Golden and North Table Mountain behind the outfield fence and Mount Zion and Clear Creek Canyon rising behind the third-base line. Named in honor of longtime Mines coach Jim Darden, the stadium was originally built in 1937 as a Depression-era project of the Public Works Administration. The ampitheater-style seating is built of fieldstone with flagstone bench seating carved into the hillside. Substantial renovations in 2007 restored the original historic seating bowl, added a new press box and dugouts, and saw a new scoreboard built in right field.
 
IN THE PROS
Three Oredigger baseball alumni currently boast professional contracts. Trevor Kehe (2017-19) enters his second season with the Baltimore Orioles organization. Walter Pennington (2017-20) signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Royals last August and spent time in Arizona during the fall and winter. Rounding out the trio is Mikey Gangwish (2016-19) who is currently on the roster of the Evansville Otters in the historic Frontier League. Those three Orediggers are listed a combined 75 times in the program record book.
 
WHO WE GOT?
Mines carries a roster made up of 42 Orediggers including 10 true freshmen. Some of the top returners were referenced earlier in the preview. Newcomers for 2021 include Mason Andrews, Jack Walton, Adam Houghtaling, Grant Badstebner, Nic Roma, Blake Ripp, Luke Folsom, Kobe Morris, Wayne Moeck, Chandler Cole, Brady Veltien, Torin Diffey and Ryan Vermeer. Andrews, Walton, Badstebner, Roma, Folsom, Moeck, Cole and Veltien are all true freshmen. Houghtaling, Ripp and Morris came to the Orediggers from San Jacinto Junior College, George Washington University and Walla Walla Community College, respectively.
 
RMAC PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH
Jason Hall, Drew Hill and Gabe Garvens were announced as RMAC Preseason Players to Watch. Hall started 13 games in 2020, mostly in right field, and led the team with five home runs. He also racked up 13 runs and seven RBI while hitting .222 and slugging .611. Hill was the Orediggers' ace on the mound with a 4-0 record last season. He boasted a 3.57 ERA thanks to 36 strikeouts over 22.2 innings of work. Hill held opposing hitters to .158 at the plate. Garvens returns as a utility man after sitting out a majority of 2020. The redshirt sophomore has vast experience across the infield and on the mound as a setup and closing pitcher.
 
RMAC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
The Colorado School of Mines Baseball team came in second in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll released earlier this year. The ballots from all nine head coaches provided Mines 50 votes including one first-place vote. That total put the Orediggers just 14 tallies behind Colorado Mesa which received a total of 64 including the eight remaining first-place votes. UCCS was only one point behind the Orediggers at 49 in third place. MSU Denver rounded out the top four with 48 votes. Coaches could put their own team on the ballot.
 
RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll (first-place votes)

1. Colorado Mesa – 64 (8)
2. Colorado School of Mines – 50 (1)
3. UCCS – 49
4. MSU Denver – 48
5. CSU Pueblo – 35
6. Regis – 28
7. Colorado Christian – 22
8. New Mexico Highlands – 20
9. Adams State - 8

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines' next series is March 12-14 at #4-ranked Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction. Live stats and video of all four games will be available at www.minesathletics.com.