GOLDEN, Colo. – Saturday's series finale between the Colorado School of Mines Baseball team and #22-ranked Colorado Mesa went to the Mavericks by a final score of 14-9.
 
In the loss, Trent Nielsen batted 1.000 with two singles off the bench. Canon Humphreys came up with two hits as well including a double on the way to three runs and two RBI. Alex Dunagan finished 2-for-4, touting two runs, one RBI, and a double. Evan Bilter and Jackson Babcock provided two-hit performances too. Two RBI for Joe Reitz and two runs scored by Tyler Hummel rounded out the offensive highlights. Alex Honeyman started on the mound but didn't factor in the decision. Seaver Newby (5-3) took the loss while Luke Parker churned out 3.0 innings of two-run, two-hit relief. Brenden Morris (1-0) earned the win on the mound and Jordan Pace (1) grabbed a save.
 
Mines (10-23, 5-11 RMAC) turned in a team batting average of .375 compared to .372 for Colorado Mesa (22-8, 15-1 RMAC). Slugging was the difference. The Mavericks notched four doubles, one triple, and three home runs. The Orediggers had two doubles. Each team committed two fielding errors. On the mound, Mines' staff ERA was 12.00 due to three strikeouts, five walks, and two hit batters. A 7.00 ERA for CMU was fueled by eight strikeouts, five walks, one hit batter. Both teams stole one base each.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Stacked zeroes on the scoreboard after the first inning of Saturday's finale proved to be a red herring of what was to come. Colorado Mesa hit a three-run home run with zero outs in the top of the second, and it was off to the races. Four CMU runs came across the plate during the second frame, but Mines responded immediately. Hummel started the home half of the second by striking out and reaching first on a passed ball. Then, four straight singles off the respective bats of Andrews, Humphreys, Dunagan, and Reitz set the plate for a four-run inning by the Orediggers.
 
The 4-4 tie after two full innings didn't last long. The Mavericks rattled off five unanswered runs across the third and fourth innings. Mines eventually got on the scoreboard again the bottom of the fifth by loading the bases with zero outs. One run from the situation made the score 9-5 in favor of CMU, but a trio of Colorado Mesa runs in the sixth pushed the margin to 12-5. Four, sixth-inning runs for the Orediggers provided the home team some hope. Back-to-back doubles by Humphreys and Dunagan powered the outburst. No runs were scored by either team in the seventh and eighth innings. In the end, the Mavericks added two timely runs in the top of the ninth to ensure the victory.
 
NOTABLES
- Reitz made the first start of his career at Mines, manning second base on Saturday afternoon.
- Woolwine stole his 21st base of the season which ties him for sixth in the program record book. He touts 54 stolen bases in his Oredigger career.
- Andrews' drew one walk in the finale. That tied him with Kyle Wallace (2010-13) for the program's all-time walks record of 84. Woolwine has 82 career walks.
- Bilter touts an active hit streak of 12 games. Woolwine has a hit in 11 straight games, and Wayne Moeck owns a 10-game hit streak.
- Woolwine has also reached base safely in 21 consecutive outings.
- Head Coach Robby Bales is now 156-128 in his seventh season leading Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines heads to CSU Pueblo next Friday-Sunday for a four-game RMAC series. There will 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.