GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines Baseball team dropped its 2021 opener on Friday evening in a 5-4 loss to MSU Denver at Jim Darden Field.
Caden Bonds and
Danny McDermott carried the Orediggers' offense. Bonds was 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBI and one double. McDermott notched Mines' first home run of the season on a 1-for-3 night with two runs scored.
Gabe Garvens and
Trevor Howard also tallied hits and both came across to score for the Orediggers. On the mound,
Ben Schoneman got the start and provided 5.0 innings of one-run, three-hit work while striking out eight batters. Schoneman did not factor in the decision while
Adam Houghtaling (0-1) took the loss in 3.0 innings of relief where he surrendered just one run on two hits with five strikeouts.
Mines (0-1, 0-1 RMAC) benefited from 15 strikeouts by its pitching staff. However, the Orediggers hit just .187 as a team while MSU Denver (5-0, 1-0 RMAC) produced a team average of .250. The Roadrunners also produced 14 strikeouts as a staff. Visiting starter Logan Soole did not factor in the decision either. Carter Ackerfelds (1-0) earned the win and Eric Cox notched the save (1).
HOW IT HAPPENED
The home team struck first thanks to McDermott's towering, solo home run down the right-field line onto Stermole Soccer Stadium. With that 1-0 lead after two innings, Mines looked to run away early as Bonds made it 3-0 on a two-run single to right-center field in the fourth inning. However, MSU Denver, which ranks #1 in the nation in batting average, wasn't going anywhere.
Both teams exchanged runs in the sixth inning to make the score 4-1. Bond's RBI double accounted for the Orediggers run and it would be their last. The Roadrunners scored four unanswered runs including a two-run home run in the seventh inning. Mines could not answer the visitor's outburst despite putting four runners on base over the last three innings. The 5-4 margin would stand as the final tally.
NOTABLES
- The notables section will return in the near future once the author has sorted out his life.
- Head Coach
Robby Bales is 51-22 in his third year as head coach for the Orediggers.
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines continues its opening weekend on Saturday with a doubleheader against MSU Denver at Jim Darden Field. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. No fans are allowed, but live stats and video will be available at www.minesathletics.com.
