GOLDEN, Colo. – Oredigger outfielder Mason Andrews stole the show on Sunday at Jim Darden Field as the Colorado School of Mines took both ends of its doubleheader with Colorado Christian by scores of 14-2 and 12-1.
 
Andrews finished the day hitting .833 with six runs on five hits and nine RBI. He fueled a 2.667 slugging percentage by hitting two doubles and three home runs. The McKinney, Texas, native worked a .889 on-base percentage by drawing three walks as well. I-Ly Hsue was right behind his teammate thanks to a .625 batting average. He scored five runs on five hits with three RBI. Hsue slugged 1.125 by smacking one double and one home run. Brady Veltien appeared in one game and converted at .750 at the plate. His final resume included two runs on three hits with one double and one RBI. Canon Humphreys, Luke Folsom, and Evan Bilter all posted a .500 batting average. Jackson Woolwine came across the plate four times. Humphreys and Bilter combined for six RBI as well.
 
On the mound, only two pitchers were needed for the home team. Luke Folsom (2-0) started the first game and tossed all seven innings. He surrendered two runs on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Alex Honeyman provided a complete-game effort on the backend. His finale resume included one run, five hits, four strikeouts and zero walks. Honeyman and Folsom only gave up three hits for extra bases between the two arms.
 
Mines (9-7, 2-0 RMAC) truly clicked on all cylinders on opening day of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. The Orediggers batted .460 as a team and slugged .825. Their pitchers held Colorado Christian (2-17, 0-2 RMAC) to .204 at the plate and a .259 slugging percentage. Overall, Mines totaled 26 runs on 29 hits with 25 RBI thanks to nine doubles, one triple and four home runs. The Cougars managed three doubles. On the mound, the Orediggers walked away touting a staff ERA of 1.29. Colorado Christian's ERA was 18.97. Mines struck out nine batters and walked one. For the CCU, the totals included 13 strikeouts and nine walks.
 
GAME ONE: Mines 14, Colorado Christian 2 (7 innings)
The Orediggers fell into an early, 1-0 deficit after CCU posted one run in its first chance on offense. However, back-to-back doubles off the bats of Woolwine and Folsom started a scoring train that did not stop. Mines posted two runs on three hits in the first inning. The Orediggers added three runs on three hits in the second inning thanks to a triple by Humphreys and an Andrews' double. Humphreys added a two-run single in the bottom of the third frame to make it 7-1. One run for CCU in the fourth inning did little to provide the visitors any hope as Andrews started the home half of the same inning with a home run. After four innings of play, Mines owned a 9-2 cushion.
 
Stacked zeroes started the back half of the contest in the fifth and sixth inning. Folsom struck out two in the fifth frame and shrugged off an error in the sixth. One hit in the seventh broke an offensive drought for the Cougars, but it was far from enough. Five runs on four hits in the bottom of the seventh drove the Orediggers to the run-rule victory. Trent Nielsen claimed the walk-off win by drawing a bases-loaded walk. It marked the fourth straight walk after a Hsue double forced a pitching change. Mines finished its first conference win of the season batting .454 while producing 14 runs on 15 hits with 13 RBI thanks to six doubles, one triple, and one home run.
 
GAME TWO: Mines 12, Colorado Christian 1
Once again, the Cougars took an early lead on the Orediggers. It was a one-out double in the top of the second that provided CCU a 1-0 lead. The advantage did not last long. Andrews smacked a grand slam in the bottom of the third inning which plated Hsue, Humphreys, and Keene Tanaka. An error later in the same inning pushed Mines to a 5-1 lead. While Andrews stole the show, the third inning also yielded back-to-back bunt singles from Humphreys and Huse. The later hit a two-out homer in the next inning to spark a three-run frame. That outburst came after two outstanding plays on defense by Humphreys to keep CCU off the board.
 
Four more runs in the fifth were capped by Andrews' two-run bomb onto Stermole Soccer Stadium. Neither team managed a run in the fifth inning. The Cougars did threaten to score in the final frame, but Honeyman shut it down with a strikeout and a groundball that went to the glove of Humphreys and over the Nielsen at first base. Game two featured a .467 batting average for the home team. The Orediggers also smacked three more doubles and three home runs in the victory.
 
NOTABLES
- Since 2006, Mines has taken 63 games from Colorado Christian and lost just 28.
- The Orediggers are the only team in the RMAC with an unbeaten conference record. That does not include New Mexico Highlands which was on a bye for the first weekend of RMAC play.
- Andrews' three home runs were his first of the season and pushed him to 24 for his career. That puts the Texan #8 on Mines' all-time list.
- Andrews also moved over 100 runs scored for his collegiate career.
- With Sunday's performance, Andrews is now hitting .308 with 13 runs on 16 hits including five doubles and three home runs with 16 RBI in 2024.
- Hsue boasts a team-high four home runs on the year.
- Humphrey's triple against CCU was his first as an Oredigger.
- Folsom's complete game to start RMAC play was the first CG of his collegiate career.
- Honeyman now touts two complete games in 2024.
- Ryan Vermeer made his 2024 debut for Mines on Sunday.
- Oredigger Head Coach Robby Bales is 126-92 in his sixth season leading Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines closes its first RMAC series on Monday with a doubleheader against Colorado Christian at Jim Darden Field starting at 12 p.m. Live stats and free video on the RMAC Network will be offered at www.minesathletics.com.

Fans can keep up with Mines baseball on "X" (formerly Twitter) and Instagram at @OrediggersBSB. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, "X" and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.