CLAREMORE, Okla. – Oredigger right-handed pitcher Tyler Blomster dazzled once again on Sunday as he tossed a nine-inning shutout against Rogers State to help the Colorado School of Mines Baseball team to a 2-0 win while sweeping the four-game series at the Diamond Sports Complex.
 
Blomster (2-0) allowed just five hits and struck out seven batters with zero walks on 102 pitches in the complete-game effort. He faced 31 batters and worked 11 ground-ball outs and eight outs in the air. I-Ly Hsue provided his teammate the win by hitting what proved to be the game-winning home run. Hsue finished the game 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Mason Andrews went 1-for-3 with a triple, one run scored and a stolen base. Scoles turned in a 1-for-4 day with one RBI. Wayne Moeck and Luke Folsom accounted for Mines' two other hits. Adam Houghtaling also stole a base for the Orediggers.
 
Mines (8-0) hit just .200 as a team, but produced a clean sheet on defense while limiting Rogers State (0-6) to .161 at the plate. The Hillcats also produced an error-free game, but all five of their hits were singles. The Oredigger defense turned one double play and only allowed one RSU baserunner to advance past first base, and that wasn't until the ninth inning. Rogers State's other bright spot was 11 strikeouts from its pitching staff. Hillcat starting pitcher Rece Parker (0-1) took the loss.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mines and Rogers State had combined for 38 runs through the first three games of the series at a clip just over 12 combined runs per game. Sunday's finale played out in stark contrast. It started with Blomster who relied on his defense early after striking out 13 in six innings just a week before, but it worked out well for the Orediggers. Notable early was Danny McDermott flashing the leather twice in the second inning which helped Mines carry a no-hitter into the fifth. The Hillcats carried their own no-hitter into the third inning before Hsue smacked two-out solo shot to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Mines' other run started the top of the fifth with back-to-back hits from Andrews and Scoles. The former provided a leadoff triple and the later drove him in for a 2-0 lead.
 
After RSU broke up the no-hitter in the bottom half of the fifth frame, the Oredigger defense nearly turned two to keep Blomster at the minimum number of hitters faced, but the result of the play was a fielder's choice. The 6-7 hurler either got stronger after that or was just very angry as he transitioned from contact to strikeouts. He fanned one to end the fifth and two in the sixth followed by a pair of strikeouts across the seventh and eighth innings. Blomster returned for the ninth inning with his pitch count at 85. Even though Rogers State notched two of its five hits and forced the McKinney, Texas, native to use 17 more pitches, it was to no avail as Blomster struck out one and completed the shutout with a Hillcat runner stranded on third base.
 
NOTABLES
- The weekend series at Rogers State marked the first-ever meeting between the Hillcats and Orediggers, giving Mines a 4-0 lead in the all-time rivalry.
- Mines' 8-0 record matches its start from 2002 when it swept Doane College (Neb.) and Panhandle State (Okla.). The Orediggers finished that campaign 22-31.
- Hsue's home run was his second of the season and fifth of his career. He's now tied for the team lead with eight RBI.
- Andrews' triple marked the first of the redshirt freshman's collegiate career on the same weekend in which he hit his first three college home runs.
- Blomster's shutout was the second of his career. He is just the third Oredigger pitcher in program history with more than one career shutout. The other two are Chris Michna and Rick Rail.
- In two starts this season, Blomster boasts a 2-0 record with a 0.00 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 15.0 innings of work. He has held opposing hitters to .151 at the plate and walked just one for a 0.60 WHIP.
- Folsom extended his hitting streak to six games.
- Wayne Moeck has reached base safely in all eight games in 2022.
- Jack Walton started the first game of his collegiate career on Sunday in his second appearance at second base.
- Coach Bales holds an overall record of 67-39 in his fourth season as the head coach at Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Next weekend, Mines heads to California for a four-game series at Cal State San Marcos. Live stats and video will be offered at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can follow Mines baseball on Twitter at @OrediggersBSB. They can also follow all of Mines Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @MinesAthletics, and online at www.minesathletics.com.