GOLDEN, Colo. – Friday's series opener between the Colorado School of Mines Baseball team and Regis went extra innings with the Rangers stealing a 9-6 victory after 10 full frames of action at Jim Darden Field.
 
Trent Nielsen came off the bench and provided a 2-for-2 day at the plate in the loss. He was the only Oredigger with multiple hits. Jackson Babcock, Canon Humphreys, Tyler Hummel, Tyler Pina, Alex Dunagan, and Tyler Easter each scored a run. Wayne Moeck notched two RBI. Hits for extra bases were found in Jackson Woolwine's triple and Babcock's double. Peter Lynch started on the mound but did not factor in the decision. Seaver Newby (6-4) wore the loss. Sam Monk provided 1.1 innings of one-hit, shutout relief. Lynch finished with four strikeouts compared to one walk. Noah McCandless (4-2) was the winning pitcher.
 
Mines (11-27, 6-15 RMAC) competed hard against the second-ranked team in the RMAC. The Oredigger pitching staff struck out five and posted a 4.50 ERA while holding Regis (24-11, 14-3 RMAC) to a combined batting average of .279. However, the home team committed three critical errors in the field which resulted in four unearned runs for the Rangers. Additionally, RU overcame its batting average by slugging .581 behind four doubles and three home runs. The power of Regis' bats also helped offset one fielding error and three hit batters.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the first nine innings of action on Friday evening, Mines had an answer for Regis' offense. Woolwine hit a triple off the centerfield wall in the second inning to cancel out an Adam Paniagua home run. After the Rangers scored one run in the fourth and two in the fifth, Moeck spurred a three-run frame for the Orediggers and tied the game, 4-4. Eventually, Mines took the lead in the sixth after Pina hit a sacrifice fly to plate Babcock. A throwing error by the Orediggers in the top of the eighth allowed two runs for Regis instead of one. However, Babcock hit his own sacrifice fly in the same inning and scored Easter who had entered as a pinch runner. Going into the ninth inning, the score was tied at 6-6.
 
A scoreless top of the frame put Mines in position to walk off RU. But an outstanding, leaping grab by Regis' third baseman resulted in a double play and pushed the game into extra innings. Two quick outs in the top of the tenth were promising, but a dropped fly ball gave the Rangers new life. An intentional walk set up a force out at any base resulted in a tragedy when the next RU hitter smacked a three-run home run. The home team had no response as McCandless locked in for his final frame of relief on the way to the win.
 
NOTABLES
- Woolwine stole another base and now has 24 on the season and 57 in his career. His career stolen bases are tied with Bobby Egeberg (2009-13) for #3 in the program record book.
- Woolwine has also reached base safely in 26 consecutive games and his triple was his third of the season and eighth of his career.
- Babcock now boasts 16 doubles on the year as a true freshman.
- Lynch's 5.1 innings of work in the start on the mound mark the longest outing of the sophomore's collegiate career.
- Head Coach Robby Bales is 157-132 in his seventh season leading Mines.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
The Orediggers and Rangers continue their series on Saturday with a doubleheader at noon.  Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate. There will be live stats and video on the RMAC Network offered free of charge with links at www.minesathletics.com. Parking will be at a premium with E-Days, home track & field, and home softball all taking place.
 
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.