GOLDEN, Colo. – A pair of eighth-inning runs from #22-ranked Colorado Mesa resulted in a heartbreaking, 9-7 loss for the Colorado School of Mines Baseball team Thursday night at Jim Darden Field.
 
Mines (10-20, 5-8 RMAC) had rallied back from a 7-4 deficit thanks to multi-hit games from Tyler Hummel, Jackson Babcock, Jackson Woolwine, and Wayne Moeck. Unfortunately, the Mavericks (19-8, 12-1 RMAC) tallied two unearned runs in the top of the eighth inning to pull out the win. Hummel finished the series opener with three hits, one run, and one RBI. Babcock, Woolwine, and Moeck registered two hits apiece while Babcock scored twice, smacked a double, and turned in two RBI. Tyler Pina hit a two-run home run. Also notable on offense were three walks for Mason Andrews.
 
On the mound, both sides had pre-scheduled innings for their pitchers. Jackson Kay was the starter for the Orediggers but didn't factor in the decision despite a 0.00 ERA and two strikeouts in two innings of work. Peter Lynch (1-3) took the loss after giving up two unearned runs on three hits with three strikeouts and one walk. Gray St. Amant, Matthew Dobberthien, and Casey Thibault also provided 0.00 ERAs out of the bullpen. Nicholas Spidel and Cade Burghardt added innings of relief as well. Tristan Wolf (1-0) was the winning pitcher thanks to four strikeouts, one hit, and zero runs in 2.1 innings out of the bullpen.
 
Overall, Mines outhit Colorado Mesa, 13-8, as the Orediggers posted a .333 batting average. The home pitchers also limited CMU to .222 at the plate and grinded out a combined ERA of 4.00. The Mavericks had more hits for extra bases with three doubles and a home run. However, Mines was eventually doomed by two fielding errors six walks, two hit batters, and 13 men left on base. Pitchers for CMU combined for a 7.00 ERA but only walked five, hit two batters and left just eight runners on base in nine innings of action. In total, 12 pitchers appeared in Thursday's opener with seven Orediggers toeing the rubber.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Pina's two-run home run out of the cleanup spot pushed Mines to an early, 2-0 lead in the first inning. A RBI walk for Woolwine and Babcock's sacrifice fly kept the Orediggers ahead, 4-3, after two full innings of action. All three of Colorado Mesa's second-inning runs were unearned due to an untimely error. However, four runs in the top of the third were all earned and provided the Mavericks a 7-4 lead. Stacked zeroes in the fourth inning brought the game back level. Then, the home team started its rally.
 
Moeck used a single to score Hummel in the fifth inning. Hummel hit a single in the sixth and plated Babcock. Finally, Babcock's RBI hit in the seventh brought in Woolwine and the game was tied, 7-7. It was a second unfortunate error in the eighth inning that allowed two CMU runs to score. Lynch had worked a strikeout and a groundball before a single, error, passed ball and two-out double put Mesa ahead, 9-7. The Orediggers went in order in the bottom of the eighth. Woolwine whistled a two-out single to left field in the ninth, but nobody was able to drive him in.
 
NOTABLES
- Pina now touts four home runs in 2025 and 11 in his collegiate career.
- Babcock is up to 12 doubles this season with 19 games left to play.
- Woolwine moved into a tie for #2 in the program record book with 82 career walks. He's three shy of breaking the all-time record.
- Andrews boasts 81 career walks and is alone at #4 in Mines history.
- Additionally, Andrews' run on Thursday marked the 182nd in his career which ranks #2 for any Oredigger, ever. He's 10 shy of the program record.
- Head Coach Robby Bales is now 156-125 in his seventh season leading Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines and Colorado Mesa continue their series on Friday with a doubleheader at noon. Admission is complimentary, but parking is not. There will also be live stats and video on the RMAC Network offered free of charge with links 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.