LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Colorado School of Mines Baseball team trailed New Mexico Highlands by as much as 10-3 during Thursday's series opener, but the Orediggers completed a thrilling comeback to earn the 15-11 win in 11 innings.
 
Evan Bilter guided the comeback with four hits including the eventual game-winning hit. He scored two runs, had two RBI, and hit one double. Trent Nielsen came up big on a 2-for-6 day with five RBI on two doubles. Jackson Woolwine and Canon Humphreys each produced three hits and one of Woolwine's was a triple. Mason Andrews and Woolwine scored three runs apiece. Andrews, Woolwine, and Folsom joined Bilter with two RBI each. Folsom's RBI came on the only home run of the game. Also notable were doubles off the bats of I-Ly Hsue and Wayne Moeck with seven different Orediggers turning in multi-hit games.
 
Jackson Kay was the starting pitcher, but departed after 1.1 innings of work. Jackson Bakovich (5-3) was the winning pitcher after coming out of the bullpen for the last four innings of the game. Bakovich finished his day with a resume featuring one run on two hits with six strikeouts and zero walks. Peter Lynch, Carter Gorling and Matthew Dobberthien teamed up for the other 5.2 innings of relief. Neither Lynch or Dobberthien surrendered an earned run, and Dobberthien gave up zero hits across 2.1 innings.
 
With the win, Mines (15-12, 8-5 RMAC) extends its modest win streak to four games. New Mexico Highlands (6-21, 2-7 RMAC) has now lost five straight. The Orediggers scored their 15 runs on 19 hits, but had to overcome six errors in the field. The Cowboys tallied 10 hits and had two errors on defense. Overall, Mines recorded seven hits for extra bases including five doubles, one triple, and one home run. New Mexico Highlands notched two doubles. On the mound, there were a total of 15 walks issued between the two staffs. Oredigger arms struck out 11 and the Cowboys' staff fanned nine.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the top of the first inning, Mines earned a trio of free passes as Andrews walked, Folsom was hit, and Bilter walked. Two strikeouts sandwiched between the freebies brought Nielsen to the plate in a bases-loaded, two-out scenario. A two-out count didn't faze the first baseman and he delivered a three-run double to right field before New Mexico Highlands could stop the bleeding. The Orediggers rolled the momentum of their 3-0 lead into the bottom half of the opening frame where Kay needed just 10 pitches for two groundouts and a strikeout.
 
After each team had a chance on offense, Mines continued to produce baserunners but couldn't bring them in to score. From the second inning through the seventh inning, the Orediggers left 10 men on base. Meanwhile, the Cowboys stacked eight hits and took advantage of six errors by the visitors on the way to a 10-3 lead including a six-run second, one run in the third, two in the fifth, and another in the sixth. Finally, in the top of the eighth inning, Mines' offense returned to life.
 
Humphreys and Hsue worked back-to-back walks to start the eighth frame. Andrews hit a single and scored Humphreys. Then, a Woolwine triple plated Andrews and Hsue and cut the Orediggers' deficit to 10-6. New Mexico Highlands made a pitching change, but it made little difference. Folsom took the first pitch he saw and sent it out of the park for a two-run home run. The Cowboys managed a groundball double-play and a lineout which stopped the bleeding. However, five runs on four hits and one NMHU error had pulled the visitors within two runs at 10-8. Bakovich took over on the mound in the home half of the eighth and worked around a passed ball on strike three and a Cowboys' single on the way to a scoreless inning. That put all the momentum fully in the Orediggers' dugout.
 
Mines started its last scheduled chance at the plate with a quick out, but would not be denied. Hsue hit a one-out double and quickly scored thanks to Andrews' ninth-inning, one-out, one-run single. Woolwine walked, putting runners on first and second with one out. A pitching change for New Mexico Highlands brought on two wild pitches which allowed Andrews to score and tie the game at 10-10. Two batters later, Bilter drove in Woolwine by lacing a two-out single and gave Mines an 11-10 lead. But the game was far from done. A leadoff single and multiple wild pitches in the bottom of the ninth helped the home team tie the game and force extra innings.
 
Stacked zeroes in the 10th frame extended the game, but the Orediggers' broke through again in the top of the 11th, and this time for good. Two quick outs put NMHU back in the driver's seat before Woolwine sparked Mines' final rally. He hit a two-out single, Brady Veltien walked, and Bilter handed the visitors the lead once again on a one-run double to left-center field. The Orediggers decided 12-11 wasn't a big enough lead so Nielsen hit a two-run double and Moeck smacked a one-run single for a four-run, four-hit frame. Bakovich left no doubt in the bottom half, striking out two and working a fly ball for the final out.
 
NOTABLES
- Since 2008, Mines is 37-31 against New Mexico Highlands.
- The Orediggers have taken six straight games from the Cowboys.
- Folsom hit his fifth home run of the season and 26th of his career. He's ranked #8 in the program record book for all-time long balls.
- Woolwine surpassed 100 collegiate hits on Thursday. He's up to 101 in less than two seasons.
- Bakovich has struck out 26 batters and walked six in 24 innings – all out of the bullpen.
- Woolwine has reached base safely in every game this season.
- Oredigger Head Coach Robby Bales is 132-97 in his sixth season leading Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines continues RMAC action at New Mexico Highlands with a doubleheader on Friday at 12 p.m. Live stats and free video on the RMAC Network will be linked 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.