Houghtaling's Cycle Powers Mines Past CCU in RMAC Opener
 
LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Oredigger slugger Adam Houghtaling hit for the cycle on Friday afternoon as the Colorado School of Mines Baseball team cruised to a 21-6 win against Colorado Christian at All-Star Park in the first RMAC action of the season for both teams.
 
It marked the second cycle of Houghtaling's career. He finished the day 4-for-6 with three runs and six RBI. Trent Nielsen was 4-for-5 on the day and Garret Nielsen was 4-for-6. That duo added a total of six runs and seven RBI to the box score. Every Oredigger in the starting batting lineup notched at least one hit. Houghtaling, Trent Nielsen, I-Ly Hsue, and Keene Tanaka all hit home runs. Houghtaling, Mason Andrews, and Alex Dunagan each tallied a triple. Jackson Woolwine, Andrews, Garret Nielsen, Houghtaling, Trent Nielsen, and Alex Dunagan all had at least one double. Garret Nielsen smacked two doubles. Andrews and Dunagan came a home run shy of also hitting for the cycle. Trent Nielsen needed just a triple to hit for the cycle.
 
On the mound, only two pitchers were needed to get the win. Luke Folsom (1-2) started the game and pitched his way to the decision, giving up four runs on 10 hits while striking out four and walking two. Rodney Gregg provided 2.0 innings of relief to close out the victory. He surrendered two runs on two hits with zero walks. It also marked the first win of Folsom's collegiate career as a pitcher.
 
Fourteen of Mines' (5-8, 1-0 RMAC) 26 hits went for extra bases. The Orediggers stacked up seven doubles, three triples, and four home runs while hitting .565 as a team. Colorado Christian (3-10-1, 0-1 RMAC) posted combined batting average of .352, but only managed four doubles and one home run on 12 total hits. Both pitching staffs struck out four and walked two batters each. Friday's RMAC opener was ended after seven innings under a new conference rule that allows RMAC contests to be shortened if a team is leading by at least 12 runs after 7.0 innings of play.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Colorado Christian retired the first two Oredigger batters of the game. Then, Mines exploded for four, two-out runs in the top of the first inning and did not look back. Back-to-back doubles by Houghtaling and Trent Nielsen highlighted the opening frame. Garret Nielsen smacked a two-run double in the second as the visitors racked up four more runs. Houghtaling hit a three-run bomb in the third to make it 11-1 in favor of the Orediggers. Hsue and Tanaka went long in the fourth inning, and Trent Nielsen got his in the fifth inning. At that point, Mines owned a 15-3 lead. In appropriate fashion, Houghtaling capped the Orediggers' scoring with his RBI-triple in the top of the seventh. Colorado Christian used a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to make the final tally.
 
NOTABLES
- Houghtaling also hit for the cycle at UCCS on May 7, 2022. He is the only known Oredigger to ever hit for the cycle.
- Houghtaling's home run was his second of the season and 16th of his career at Mines.
- Furthermore, Houghtaling has not reached base safely in 21 consecutive games, a streak dating back to last season.
- Trent Nielsen leads the Orediggers with three home runs this season. His .471 batting average is also #1 on the team.
- Hsue hit the eighth home run of his career, and Tanaka notched his second-ever long ball.
- The first pitching win of Folsom's collegiate career came after taking 13 no-decisions and five losses in 18 starts.
- Mines' three triples tied the program record for most triples in a game. The last time the Orediggers hit three triples in a game was May 6, 2006 against Colorado Christian.
- Head Coach Robby Bales is now 99-69 in his fifth season leading the Orediggers.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines continues its RMAC-opening series at Colorado Christian on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. 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.