GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines Baseball team closed the book on its 2022 season on Friday with a 13-7 loss to #10-ranked and top-seeded Colorado Mesa in the RMAC Tournament at Bus Bergman Field.
 
Adam Houghtaling mashed for Mines through the end as he went 3-for-4 with one run, three RBI, two doubles and one home run. Wayne Moeck swung it well too, notching three hits including one double which resulted in three runs scored. Alex Bumpus proved impressive in a 2-for-2 day as he drove in two runs on a double and scored a run. Mason Andrews, Luke Folsom, Taylor White and Toby Scoles all notched hits as well. White and Brady Veltien also scored runs, and Folsom and Toby Scoles contributed RBI. Ben Schoneman (L, 3-4) started on the mound and took the decision after battling through three runs on five hits through 4.1 innings. Nash Neff, Zachary Kriethe, Blake Ripp and Brayden Weyer all appeared in relief. Weyer walked away with a 0.00 ERA.
 
Mines (33-18) scored its even runs on 13 hits including five for extra bases. Colorado Mesa (38-13) found its production on offense in 17 hits with six going for extra bases. One fielding error for the Orediggers proved inconsequential as all runs were earned. Mines' pitching and defense did force CMU to leave 11 runners stranded while the Orediggers only left eight on base. With the win, Colorado Mesa advances to play MSU Denver later Friday night at 7 p.m.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Clear skies, warm temperatures and very little wind in Grand Junction, Colo., set the stage for a RMAC Tournament elimination game on Friday morning between fifth-seeded Mines and top-seeded Mesa. As per RMAC protocol, a coin flip determined the home team on the scoreboard and the Orediggers own the toss, but CMU remained in its regular third-base dugout. The first five innings of the contest were as tight as a pair of skinny jeans on a NFL offensive tackle. Houghtaling gave the Orediggers an early, 1-0 lead by scoring Moeck in the bottom of the first. The Mavericks answered with single runs in the top of the third, fourth and fifth innings for a 3-1 advantage.
 
In the bottom of the fifth frame, White and Hsue hit back-to-back doubles. Scoles drove in White and cut the Colorado Mesa lead to 3-2. However, that was the closest Mines would get to retaking the lead. The Mavericks exploded for 10 runs over the last four innings including five in the top of the sixth. The Orediggers would not go quietly as Houghtaling homered in the home half of the sixth while Moeck, Veltien and Bumpus all scored in the seventh with Neff handling first-base coaching duties. Mines' final run of the season featured Houghtaling plating Moeck with his second double of the game. However, CMU notched back-to-back strikeouts to seal the Orediggers' fate.
 
NOTABLES
- Since 2016, the Orediggers are 11-10 in the RMAC Tournament. Since taking over in 2019, Coach Bales boasts a conference-tournament record of 4-4.
- Friday marked the finale of six Oredigger playing careers as Nash Neff, Alex Bumpus, Taylor White, Toby Scoles, Brayden Weyer and Tyler Blomster all closed their tenure in a Mines uniform.
- Houghtaling hit his 14th home run of the season which gave him sole possession of #7 in the program record book.
- Blomster's career earned-run average (ERA) of 3.87 makes him Mines' all-time ERA leader. He already held the record for all-time wins, strikeouts and innings pitched as well as the RMAC records for wins and strikeouts.
- Moeck worked one walk on Friday which tied him for #1 in the program record book in single-season walks with 35 on the year. He matched Kyle Wallace (2011) and Nate Olinger (2016) in the effort.
- Folsom's single against CMU gave him 82 hits in 2022 and tied him with Jace Selsor at #4 on the Orediggers' single-season list.
- Coach Bales closed his fourth season as the head coach at Mines with an overall record of 95-60.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Orediggers now look to the fall of 2022 and offseason training. Mines will also announce the baseball signing class in the coming weeks at www.minesathletics.com and on Twitter at @MinesAthletics and @OrediggersBSB.
 
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.