GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines Baseball team could not avoid a series sweep on Monday as the Orediggers dropped their finale with Colorado Mesa by a score of 15-8.
 
Luke Folsom, Mason Andrews, and Keene Tanaka each produced multiple hits. Folsom was 3-for-5 including a double with two runs and one RBI. Andrews went 2-for-3 and scored three times. Tanaka notched two hits in four at-bats and tallied two RBI. Trent Nielsen added a two-run home run as well. Jackson Woolwine and Canon Humphreys also scored runs for the Orediggers. Evan Bilter rounded things out with two RBI. Gray St. Amant was the starting pitcher, but departed after 2.1 innings of four-run, six-hit work. Carter Gorling (1-1) took the loss after 2.2 innings of four-run, five hit relief. Jackson Kay, Matthew Dobberthien, Peter Lynch, and Seaver Newby also appeared out of the bullpen. Kay's 1.2 innings of no-hit, shutout relief were the highlight on the mound. Jordan Ellison (1-0) earned the win for CMU.
 
Mines (11-11, 4-4 RMAC) was held under .300 at the plate and only managed two hits for extra bases with two errors in the field. Colorado Mesa batted .390 including four home runs, three doubles, and one triple. The Mavericks did commit one error on defense but only dished out four walks across six pitchers while churning out 10 strikeouts. The Orediggers also used six arms which combined for nine strikeouts and six walks. There was only one stolen base in the entire contest.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the first time all series, Colorado Mesa scored first. It was a solo home run in the bottom of the opening frame. Mines answered back with two runs on four hits in the top of the third as Humphreys, Andrews, Woolwine, and Folsom each recorded a base knock. However, CMU used a leadoff home run in the bottom of the third to spark a three-run frame and retake the lead at 4-2. The Orediggers provided another response in the top of the fifth, scoring three runs on four hits on the way to a 5-4 lead.
 
The visitors held the advantage through the sixth inning and into the seventh. But after the stretch, the Mavericks' power proved too much. They totaled four runs in the seventh and seven more in the eight for a 15-5 lead. In Mines' last chance at the plate, Andrews walked an Folsom hit a double. Then, Bilter plated Andrews and Nielsen smacked a two-out bomb to the opposite field. A loud lineout from the very next batter brought any hopes of a rally to a close.
 
NOTABLES
- Folsom now has exactly 50 doubles in his career which moves him past Logan Smith (2014-17) into sole possession of #4 on Mines' all-time list.
- Folsom also moved into a tie with Joe Popp (2016-19) on the Orediggers' all-time RBI list after notching the 127th of his career.
- Nielsen hit his fifth home run of the season and 13th of his career on Monday.
- Across four games in Grand Junction, Andrews scored nine runs and batted .462.
- Kay made three different appearances out of the bullpen against CMU and recorded a 0.00 ERA with four strikeouts and three walks across 3.0 innings of work.
- Woolwine has reached base safely in every game this season.
- Oredigger Head Coach Robby Bales is 128-96 in his sixth season leading Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines' next scheduled action is a home series against CSU Pueblo this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Jim Darden Field. Tickets can be purchased online or at the field. Free live stats and video on the RMAC Network will also 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.