GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines made a valiant comeback effort, but MSU Denver took advantage of defensive miscues and power hitting to win their series finale, 15-12.
The Roadrunners (8-0, 4-0 RMAC) hit two home runs, four doubles, and a triple while the Orediggers (0-4, 0-4 RMAC) were hurt by six errors in the game.
Wayne Moeck had a terrific game at the plate with a 3-for-5, four-RBI performance that included two doubles;
Danny McDermott,
Jason Hall, and
Noah Kuzma all homered. Bill Ralston was a triple short of the cycle in a 3-for-5, four-RBI day to lead the Roadrunners.
MSU Denver wasted no time going ahead with a four-run first as Logan Soole homered for a 2-0 lead, and two separate errors allowed Cade Peters and Caleb Albaugh to score later in the inning. Ralson's sac fly made it 5-0 in the second, but Mines got on the board with a three-run second of their own as
Toby Scoles drew a bases-loaded walk, Moeck drove in
Trevor Howard, and
Luke Folsom singled home
Caden Bonds.
Ralston homered to spark a five-run sixth for the Roadrunners, continued by Peters' two-run double down the line and Albaugh's RBI double to lead 10-3. Cody Schultz's single and an error let the first run of the seventh across before Ralston again doubled in a run, and MSU Denver was seemingly in control at 12-3.
But Mines wouldn't go away quietly, putting eight runs on the board over the seventh and eighth innings. Kuzma bombed a two-run homer run in the seventh before Moeck doubled in Bonds and Howard, and
I-Ly Hsue's single brought in Folsom before Hall homered in the eighth and Moeck doubled in Howard. That suddenly turned into a one-run game at 12-11, but the Orediggers ultimately couldn't catch up to MSU Denver. An error to let Ralston reached in the ninth scored one run, and Niko Piazza's single to center scored two more to make it 15-11; in the bottom half, McDermott led off with a home run to deep center, but a fielder's choice and a double play ended the game.
Both teams emptied their bullpens as MSU Denver used five pitchers and Mines six. Roadrunner starter Josh Thompson departed in the second, with reliever Zach Sundine (2-0) picking up the win with 4.1 innings of scoreless relief. Mines starter
Marcus Lee (0-1) took the loss in 3.1 innings of work, striking out four.
NEXT UP
Mines heads out on the road to visit Colorado Mesa starting Friday.
