LOS ANGELES – The Colorado School of Mines Baseball team scored four runs over the last four innings on Friday night, but couldn't complete the comeback as the Orediggers dropped a 7-4 series opener at Cal State L.A.
 
Mines leadoff hitter Jackson Woolwine was prolific at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Caden Bonds came off the bench and went 2-for-2 with two RBI. Garret Nielsen, Trent Nielsen, and I-Ly Hsue all came across the plate as well. Adam Houghtaling had a RBI and notched a double. Hsue and Bonds also chipped in one two-bagger each. Luke Folsom (0-2) took the loss on the mound after 4.0 innings of work resulting in five runs on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Nicholas Spidel proved brilliant in relief, working 3.2 innings of one-run, three-hit baseball while striking out two and walking zero. Jackson Bakovich also appeared out of the bullpen.
 
The Orediggers (1-4) finished the game batting .242 as a team. Four of their eight hits went for extra bases. Cal State L.A. (3-3) earned its first win against a NCAA Division II opponent this season. The Golden Eagles turned in a .272 batting average as they cashed in on two home runs from Kai Penuelas and one double off the bat of Andrew Tovar. Two errors in the field stung Mines to the tune of one unearned run. The home team committed one fielding error resulting in one unearned run for the Orediggers.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Despite the first inning of the night and of the series featuring stacked zeroes on the scoreboard, Cal State L.A. roared out to a 6-0 lead thanks to two runs apiece in the second, third, and fourth innings. It was a double followed by a two-run single in the second frame. One of Penuelas' home runs led off the third and a two-out single made it 4-0. Penuelas' second bomb was a two-run shot in the fourth which gave the home team a 6-0 lead before Mines shut out the Golden Eagles for three straight innings.
 
While the fifth and sixth innings saw no runs for either team, the Orediggers started their rally in the top of the seventh frame. Garret Nielsen worked a one-out walk and came in to score on Trent Nielsen's single which included a fielding error. Bonds singled to right field with two outs and plated Trent Nielsen, cutting Mines' deficit to 6-2. Woolwine and Houghtaling stacked doubles for one run in the top of the eighth inning. However, Cal State L.A. got it back on a two-out single in the bottom of the same frame.
 
Facing a 7-3 deficit, Hsue led off the ninth inning with a double. Bonds made it back-to-back doubles and scored Hsue. Brady Veltien put Bonds on third base thanks to a ground ball. Woolwine worked a two-out walk. With runners on first and third, Houghtaling stepped to the plate and sent a ball to left field on a full count, but couldn't find grass or get it over the wall, brining Mines' rally to an abrupt halt.
 
NOTABLES
- Friday marked the first known meeting between Mines and Cal State L.A. on the baseball diamond, making the Orediggers 0-1 in the all-time series.
- Houghtaling's double extended his hitting streak to 13 games dating back to the 2022 season.
- Woolwine has recorded a hit in four straight games. His 3-for-4 performance was the best of his career as a redshirt freshman.
- Garret Nielsen has reached base safely in every game this season.
- Spidel made his collegiate debut on the mound after walking on and redshirting as a true freshman.
- After a 1-for-3 night against the Golden Eagles, Trent Nielsen is hitting .500 for the Orediggers this season.
- Head Coach Robby Bales is now 96-64 in his fifth season leading the Orediggers.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines continues its series at Cal State L.A. on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. (PT). Free live stats will be offered at www.minesathletics.com. Pay-per-view video will also be available on the CCAA Network.
 
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.