Mines (1-3) at Cal State L.A. (2-3) – Friday, 6 p.m. (PT) – Los Angeles, Calif. [Live Stats] [CCAA Network-PPV]
Mines (1-3) at Cal State L.A. (2-3) – Saturday, 1 p.m. (PT) – DH – Los Angeles, Calif. [Live Stats] [CCAA Network-PPV]
Mines (1-3) at Cal State L.A. (2-3) – Sunday, 11 a.m. (PT) – Los Angeles, Calif. [Live Stats] [CCAA Network-PPV]

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CITY OF ANGELS
The Colorado School of Mines Baseball team is returning to California this weekend. After opening the season at Cal Poly Pomona last weekend, the Orediggers are headed to the City of Angels to face Cal State L.A. The series starts with a single, nine-inning game on Friday at 6 p.m. (PT). Saturday features a doubleheader with a nine-inning game at 1 p.m. (PT) followed by a seven-inning game. The series finale is one, nine-inning game on Sunday starting at 11 a.m. (PT).
 
LIVE COVERAGE
This weekend's series will include free live stats as linked above and video on The CCAA Network. The live video requires a monthly subscription of $9.95 for a month. There is not a long-term contract associated with the subscription. Additionally, all of Mines' home games and ever conference game will air live, and for free, on the the RMAC Network with Miles Dunklin providing play-by-play commentary for home games all season long.
 
SCHEDULE CHANGE
Earlier on Thursday, it was announced that Mines and Northern Colorado would postpone their doubleheader scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 21, in Greeley due to snowfall in the area. A makeup date will be determined in the coming weeks.
 
REMEMBERING OPENING WEEKEND
Mines opened its 2023 campaign last weekend against then-#21 Cal Poly Pomona in California. The Orediggers finished trip with a 1-3 record. They dropped the first three games of the series by a combined three runs before winning the series finale, 7-4. The Broncos won the opener 1-0 and both ends of Saturday's doubleheader with walkoff victories of 4-3 and 5-4. The first game on Saturday lasted 11 innings. Top performers for Mines included Trent Nielsen, Garret Nielsen, Luke Folsom, and Kevin Zapanta. Trent Nielsen hit .556 with two runs on four doubles with five RBI. Garret Nielsen produced a .462 batting average thanks to six hits including three doubles with three RBI. Folsom did it all with a 7.0-inning start on the mound that resulted in just one run allowed and three strikeouts. He also scored four runs on three hits. Zapanta also started on the mound, tossing 7.0 innings of one-run, seven-hit baseball behind five strikeouts compared to one walk.
 
SCOUTING CAL STATE L.A.
California State University Los Angeles heads into the weekend with an overall record of 2-3. The Golden Eagles have played two NAIA programs and one NCAA Division II program. They opened the season with a 15-2 win against Providence Christian College. Cal State L.A. then split a doubleheader against The Master's University. Earlier this week, Montana State Billings visited Southern California and defeated Cal State L.A., 11-3 and 12-11. This weekend marks the Golden Eagle's first four-game series of the season. Their big bat is carried by Matthew Piotrowski who boasts a .500 batting average with six runs on 10 hits including four doubles, one triple, and one home run with 10 RBI. Johnny Pacheco leads the team with eight runs scored. On the mound, Owen Hunt is arguably the ace for Cal State L.A. He has started two games and sits 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA thanks to seven strikeouts in 7.0 innings. Mikell Chavez is tops on the team with 10 strikeouts in two appearances and 7.1 innings of work.
 
SERIES HISTORY
According to records available, this weekend will mark the first-ever meeting between Colorado School of Mines and Cal State L.A. on the baseball diamond.
 
CALIFORNIA TIES
For a second straight weekend, five Orediggers get to return to their home state. Garret Nielsen, Trent Nielsen, Tyler Pina, Wayne Moeck, and Evan Bilter all list California as home on the official roster. The Nielsen brothers both call Carlsbad, Calif., home which is about 90 miles or two hours from the Cal State L.A. campus Pina hails from Morgan Hill, Calif., over 320 miles north. Moeck is from San Diego, just a long, three-hour drive down the coast. Bilter is a Pleasanton, Calif., native which puts him up by Pina's old stomping grounds.
 
HOUGHTALING'S HIT STREAK
Baseball purists won't like this section, but it bears noting. Adam Houghtaling closed the 2022 season riding a nine-game hitting streak. He has now recorded a hit in all three of his appearances this season. That gives the redshirt senior an active 12-game hit streak which he'll look to extend this weekend. The Texas native is also four home runs shy of tying for #11 on Mines' all-time list.
 
LUKE FOLSOM
While Luke Folsom wasn't red-hot at the plate on opening weekend, he still recorded three hits and scored four runs. The true junior has now scored 73 runs in his career and is climbing the ranks in the program record book. His 38 career doubles are one shy of tying him for #10 in program history. Folsom also touts 18 home runs which are two shy of #10 on the Orediggers' all-time list. The utility man also boasts 81 RBI in 85 games played and has made 16 appearances on the mound resulting in one save and 33 strikeouts in 42.2 innings of work.
 
IN THE PROS
Over the last five years, four Orediggers have entered baseball's professional ranks. Mikey Gangwish (2016-19) was the first as he played professionally in Australia before returning to a contract with the Evansville Otters of the independent Frontier League. He has since retired and earned his master's degree at Mines. The second was Trevor Kehe (2017-19) who was drafted in the 36th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He worked in the Orioles organization for three years and advanced as far as High-A ball with the Aberdeen IronBirds before retiring. Rounding out but leading the trio is Walter Pennington (2017-20).
 
WALTER PENNINGTON
The left-handed hurler signed a free-agent contract with the Kansas City Royals in the summer of 2020 and played the 2021 season with the organization's Low-A affiliate, the Columbia Fireflies. In 2022, Pennington started with the Royals' High-A club in the Quad Cities (Iowa). He quickly moved up to AA and finished the season with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. In 2022, he went 6-3 with one start and a 5.19 ERA including 61 strikeouts compared to 30 walks in 67.2 innings of work. Pennington was also invited to the Arizona Fall League where he played for Surprise. He made eight appearances with two starts. He did not record a decision, but had one save, tossed 9.1 innings and struck out 10 batters while walking four.
 
THE SKIPPER
The 2023 campaign marks Mines' fifth season with Robby Bales as head coach. During his tenure as the Oredigger skipper, Bales holds an overall record of 96-60 with a mark of 58-44 in RMAC play. He has coached 14 All-RMAC players, nine all-region players, three all-Americans, one RMAC Pitcher of the Year, six CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, one MLB Draft Pick and had one player signed as a free agent in the MLB. Additionally, Bales has guided Mines to the NCAA Tournament once, and RMAC Tournament twice, advancing to the regional and conference tournament final in 2019. Bales' teams have also performed in the classroom as the squad brought home the RMAC Brechler Award in 2020 and 2021 as the team boasting the highest combined GPA in the conference.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
With the postponement of next Tuesday's doubleheader, Mines will be off from competition until Friday, March 3, when the Orediggers face CSU Pueblo in a non-RMAC showdown in Pueblo, Colo. That weekend also brings Mines' home opener as they welcome #23 MSU Denver, Regis, and Colorado Christian to Jim Darden Field on Saturday and Sunday, March 4-5. Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate. Live stats and video will also be offered at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines baseball on Twitter at @OrediggersBSB. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.