GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines Baseball team split its Saturday doubleheader against UCCS, 4-15 and 12-5, to earn a series win while playing the final games of the 2024 regular season and celebrating Senior Day.
Ben Schoneman,
I-Ly Hsue,
Jackson Bakovich,
Chandler Cole,
Weston Siefken,
Nic Roma,
Keene Tanaka,
Brady Veltien,
Marcus Lee,
Luke Folsom,
Rodney Gregg, and
Henry Novicki were the 12 seniors honored before game one of the doubleheader. Underclassmen
Grant Johnson and
Tyler Pina led the charge at the plate to celebrate their elders. Johnson and Pina both batted .500 for the day. Johnson had a home run and three RBI. Pina hit two doubles and had two RBI. Folsom wasn't far behind, touting a .429 average thanks to two doubles and a home run with two runs and two RBI.
Evan Bilter checked in with a .400 average, notching a double on the way to two RBI and one run. Rounding out the highlights on offense were a
Mason Andrews home run and two stolen bases by
Jackson Woolwine. Folsom,
Wayne Moeck, Andrews,
Trent Nielsen, and Woolwine all scored multiple runs each.
On the mound,
Weston Siefken (2-3) started the first game of the day and took the decision.
Alex Honeyman (6-3) was the starter and winner in the finale, working through five runs on nine hits across 5.2 innings with five strikeouts and one walk.
Jackson Bakovich (1) earned the save thanks to 1.1 perfect innings of relief.
Marcus Lee,
Seaver Newby,
Henry Novicki,
Carter Gorling,
Nicholas Spidel, and
Jackson Kay all came out of the bullpen as well. Lee and Newby combined to pitch 3.2 innings of one-hit baseball which included a total of four strikeouts and three walks.
The win for Mines (27-19, 20-12 RMAC) in the finale, combined with Regis' finale loss to CSU Pueblo, clinched the Orediggers a top-three seed in the 2024 RMAC Baseball Tournament. Despite the win to start the day, UCCS (16-32, 13-19 RMAC) saw its season end after being eliminated from postseason contention on Friday evening. For the day, Mines hit just .267 as a team, but 12 of the Orediggers' 16 hits went for extra bases which afforded the home team a .567 slugging percentage. The Mountain Lions batted .310 between the two games, but only managed one double and three home runs. Mines committed six errors in the field that led to five unearned runs. Four errors in 15.0 innings for UCCS only resulted in one unearned run. Each pitching staff produced 14 strikeouts. The Oredigger arms walked nine, and the Mountain Lions walked six.
GAME ONE: UCCS 15, Mines 4
Jason Fink (3-5) was the starter for UCCS and carried a one-hitter into the sixth inning thanks to seven strikeouts compared to one walk. Bilter accounted for that lone hit with a knock in the second inning. While the Oredigger bats were held at bay, the Mountain Lion hitters put up three runs in the second, three in third and two in the top of the fourth before Mines could get on the board. Doubles off the bats of Hsue, Folsom, and Bilter helped the home team stack four runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth inning, making the scored 8-4. However, three Oredigger errors in the seventh helped UCCS plate an additional six runs. Mines' bats stayed relatively silent for the last three innings, minus a Folsom double and a Johnson single. A Mountain Lion home run in the top of the ninth was just the second extra-base hit of the game and made the final tally.
GAME TWO: Mines 12, UCCS 5
Both sides were retired in order to start the game. The top of the second saw UCCS hit its third home run of the day, a two-run shot for a 2-0 lead. When Folsom started the home half of the second frame with a skyrocket to left field, the tide turned. Pina doubled and Johnson hit Mines' second home run of the second inning.
Canon Humphreys doubled as well and after two full frames, the Orediggers owned a 5-2 lead. They would not look back. Andrews hit a tank that scored Humphreys in the fourth. Mines recorded zero hits in the fifth but still scored two thanks to some wild pitches and a fielding error. The penultimate sixth was highlighted by three more runs on two-baggers from Moeck and Pina. Bakovich only needed one pitch to end the top of the sixth. He retired the seventh in order and ended the game with a strikeout.
NOTABLES
- Mines owns a 22-11 lead in the all-time series against UCCS.
- Folsom's home run was his second of the series, ninth of the season, and 30th of his career. He's now alone at #6 on the Orediggers' all-time home runs list.
- Andrews moved into a tie with Trevor Kehe (2017-19) for #2 on Mines' all-time list with the 37th home run of his career. It was his 16th of the season which is also tied with Kehe for #4 in the program record book.
- Johnson's three-run long ball marked the first home run of his collegiate career.
- Bakovich's save was his first of the season and third of his career.
- With two doubles on Saturday, Folsom moved within 11 of Nate Olinger's program record.
- Woolwine is now in a tie for #3 on Mines' single-season stolen base list, touting 25 in 2024 alone.
- Honeyman earned his sixth win of 2024 and is now tied for #9 in the program record book for pitching victories in a single season.
- Oredigger Head Coach
Robby Bales is 144-104 in his sixth season leading Mines.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Orediggers now look to the 2024 RMAC Baseball Tournament which begins Wednesday in Grand Junction, Colo. Final seeding along with game dates and times will be announced at
www.minesathletics.com when available. Live video for the conference tournament will be pay-per-view. Live stats will be free of charge.
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.
