LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Oredigger sophomore Luke Folsom broke multiple Colorado School of Mines Baseball records on Saturday and guided his team to a 20-10 victory in the series finale against New Mexico Highlands at Brandt Baseball Field.
 
Folsom finished the game hitting .833 thanks to four home runs and a double resulting in four runs and seven RBI. With that performance, the Littleton, Colo., native broke the program records for home runs in a game and total bases in a game. He also tied Mines' single-game RBI record. Adam Houghtaling swung a big bat as well, going 3-for-6 with two solo home runs. Other home run hitters included Wayne Moeck, Danny McDermott and Nic Roma. While Caden Bonds didn't go long for the Orediggers, he did finish the finale 5-for-5 and notched three runs and three RBI. Moeck and McDermott joined Houghtaling with three-hit outings. Moeck scored three times and McDermott drove in three by adding two doubles to his dinger. Toby Scoles scored three runs and smacked a double as well.
 
Three Oredigger pitchers appeared in the win. Blake Ripp started but did not factor in the decision after giving up seven runs on nine hits in 4.0 innings. Marcus Lee provided middle relief and produced 1.1 innings of two-run, two-hit baseball. Nash Neff (1-0) was the winning pitcher as he closed it out with 3.2 innings and surrendered only one run on one hit while striking out four. On the other side, New Mexico Highlands used eight pitchers and Gavin Gifford (0-3) wore the loss.
 
As a team, Mines (24-13, 9-11 RMAC) combined for nine home runs which also broke the program's single-game record. The Orediggers plated 20 on 25 hits including 15 for extra bases as they hit .500 overall. New Mexico Highlands (14-26, 10-14 RMAC) racked up its 10 runs on 14 hits with four doubles, one triple and one home run. However, the Cowboys committed three errors in the field, though, those led to just one unearned run for Mines. All 10 runs surrendered by Oredigger pitchers were earned as the visitors posted a clean sheet on defense. Mines' pitching staff struck out 12 Cowboy batters and walked four. The home team hurlers only struck out five Orediggers and walked three.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Despite the final score, Saturday's finale was anything but a foregone conclusion through the first seven innings. Based on the information above, it should come as no surprise that Folsom opened the scoring with a solo home run in the top of the opening frame. Ripp gave up just a double in a shutout bottom half to give Mines the 1-0 lead after one inning – it's first such advantage of the weekend. That led to a two-run second for the visitors as they took advantage of NMHU miscues. However, the home team popped off for five runs in their half of the second.
 
New Mexico Highlands held its 5-3 advantage all the way until the fifth frame when Houghtaling made his presence known. The redshirt junior smacked a one-out, solo shot and the Oredigger rally was on. Bonds bunted in Hsue to tie the game. Then, McDermott sent a RBI double down the right-field line. Roma's ground-ball RBI capped a four-run fifth that afforded Mines a 7-5 lead. But, as mentioned above, the game was far from over. The Cowboys walked, doubles and singled to start their half of the fifth and tied the game at seven after five full innings.
 
While NMHU managed to keep it close for two more frames, the sixth inning marked the turning point of the game. Folsom and Houghtaling hit back-to-back bombs for a 10-7 lead. Highlands plated two in the bottom of the frame to keep it at 10-9. Then, Folsom homered again in the seventh with Scoles on base – again – and pushed Mines to a 12-9 advantage. To borrow an aged, but popular, phrase, that was all she wrote. Bonds' two-run single in the top of the eighth made it 14-9. Six runs in the top of the ninth were just icing on the cake for the Orediggers. It just so happens the six runs came off long balls from Folsom, Moeck, McDermott and Roma. The last two went back-to-back for good measure. Neff returned to the mound to close it out and stuck out two before ending the game on a fly ball to left-center field.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines tied the season series at 3-3 thanks to its win on Saturday. It also gave the Orediggers the 32-31 series lead dating back to 2008.
- The last Oredigger to hit four home runs in a single game was nobody – hence the record. Derek Daly hit three in a game against Adams State in 2019 and Ryan Phillips had a three bomb outing against Midland Lutheran (Neb.) in 2002.
- Folsom's 18 total bases on Saturday also broke the previous single-game record shared between Derek Daly and Mikey Gangwish. That duo combined to record 12 total bases on three different occasions.
- Folsom also became the sixth Oredigger with seven RBI in one game. He joined a list that includes Trevor Kehe, Mikey Gangwish, Cody Marvel, Connor Lambert and Nate Olinger.
- The NCAA Division II record for home runs in a game is five, set by Josh Hamilton of St. Edward's (Texas) in 2003. Folsom's four home runs in a game mark the 29th time it has happened in DII history.
- Last thing on Folsom. He is the second player to hit four home runs in a game this season. Ross Smith from RMAC foe MSU Denver did it earlier this season.
- We lied, one more thing on Luke. His four home runs on Saturday give him nine on the season and 12 in his career. Folsom is now hitting .407 with 36 runs, 36 RBI and 18 doubles.
- Houghtaling's two dinger day gave him nine long balls on the season as well. He owns five home runs in Mines' last seven games.
- McDermott took sole possession of #10 on Mines' all-time home runs list as he touts 19 in his career.
- Roma hit his second home run of the weekend on Sunday and his third of the season while Moeck notched his fifth.
- Neff's victory on the mound was his first of the season and second of his career. His 2022 resume features a 1-0 record with two saves and a 1.59 ERA thanks to 20 strikeouts in 11.1 innings and seven apperances.
- Scoles has reached base safely in 17 straight games. Moeck has done the same in 16 consecutive outings and Houghtaling owns a 10-game hitting streak.
- Coach Bales holds an overall record of 86-54 in his fourth season as the head coach at Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Orediggers return home to host Regis next Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Jim Darden Field. Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate. Live stats and video on the RMAC Network will be offered for free 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.