SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Two groundball double plays on defense keyed the #17 Colorado School of Mines Baseball time to 7-2 victory against Cal State San Marcos on Friday afternoon at The CSUSM Baseball Field.
 
Oredigger third baseman Danny McDermott teamed up with first baseman Brady Veltien for one of the double plays. Shortstop I-Ly Hsue worked with the second baseman Caden Bonds and Veltien for a more traditional 6-4-3, groundball double play. Both instances were directly responsible for keeping at least two runs off the scoreboard. Supporting the defense was starting pitcher Kevin Zapanta (3-0) who earned the victory behind 6.0 innings of two-run, six-hit baseball. He walked one and struck out four while Weston Siefken and Adam Houghtaling did their part in relief with three combined innings of one-hit, shutout work.
 
Luke Folsom, Veltien and Wayne Moeck powered the offense with two hits each and a combined batting average of .500. Folsom came around the bases twice for two runs. Veltien notched a pair of RBI. Moeck smacked a double with one run and one RBI. Toby Scoles turned in a multi-RBI day as well thanks to a double. Hsue, Mason Andrews, and McDermott also scored runs. Bonds accounted for the other RBI while stealing one base on a 1-for-2 day at the ninth spot in the batting order.
 
Mines (9-0) took advantage of three errors by the defense of Cal State San Marcos (2-3) while also racking up 10 hits in 39 at-bats for a team average of .256 at the plate. Bright spots for the hosting Cougars included their pitching staff recording 10 strikeouts and the defense stranding 10 Oredigger runners. However, Mines' pitchers and defense limited CSUSM to .218 at the plate with only one hit for extra bases. The Orediggers also put together a clean sheet on defense which included 10 assists on 27 putouts with just five outs coming by strikeout.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The weekend theme song (unsponsored) of California Dreamin' by the Mamas & the Papas rang true on Friday afternoon with a game-time temperature of 60 degrees, light winds out to center, right-center field and humidity at 28 percent all under truly cerulean skies. Conditions near perfection apparently provided an early boost to both defenses as the opening frame closed just 11 minutes after the first pitch.
 
After the brisk first inning, Mines took its zero off the scoreboard in the top of the second. Two CSUSM errors and a wild pitch scored Moeck after a leadoff walk, making it 1-0 in favor of the Colorado squad. Cougar miscues carried into the third inning with a hit batter and the Orediggers jumped all over it. Veltien's single through the right side scored Andrews. Scoles' one-out double to left-center plated Veltien and Folsom for a 4-0, visitor lead. That momentum rubbed off on Mines' defense as evidenced by I-Ly Hsue's sliding play in the hole at shortstop and Danny McDermott's backhand and heave from behind the bag at third. After three complete innings, the Orediggers held firm to its 4-0 lead.
 
Mines racked up two more runs in the fourth and another in the fifth before Cal State San Marcos could gather itself. Looking up at a 7-0 deficit, the Cougars put up a zero on defense in the top of the sixth – their first since the opening frame. Then, CSUSM loaded the bases with zero outs and scored two on a single down the right-field line. However, Zapanta climbed back from nobody out with runners on first and third by striking out one and working a groundball double play for the last two which kept the score 7-2 in favor of the Orediggers.
 
Nine combined runs through six innings was all the scoring to be had. Siefken took over for Zapanta and worked a scoreless seventh on the gloves of the defense. Houghtaling did the same in the eighth with just 12 pitches. He returned for the final frame and retired the Cougars in order with a strikeout, groundball to first base and a fly ball to left field. It required just 14 more pitches as the transfer from San Jacinto Community College clinched the win.
 
NOTABLES
- Friday marked the first-ever meeting between Mines and Cal State San Marcos which makes the Orediggers 1-0 in the all-time series against the Cougars.
- Based on the records available, Mines is 9-0 for the first time since at least 1980 – more than 40 years ago. Consistent records prior to 1980 are not readily available.
- In three starts this season, Zapanta is 3-0 with 14 strikeouts in 17.1 innings of work on the mound.
- Scoles' double marked his fifth of the season which leads the next-closest Oredigger by three two-baggers.
- Including Friday, Mines has only had two games without a home run this season.
- Folsom now has multiple hits in six of the Orediggers' nine games this season. He also owns an active, seven-game hitting streak.
- Wayne Moeck has reached base safely in all nine games in 2022.
- Coach Bales holds an overall record of 71-41 in his fourth season as the head coach at Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Orediggers continue their series at Cal State San Marcos with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 11 a.m. (PT). Live stats and pay-per-view 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.