Mines (11-30, 6-18 RMAC) vs. UCCS (21-16, 10-10 RMAC) – Thursday, 12 p.m. – Doubleheader – Jim Darden Field [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

Mines (11-30, 6-18 RMAC) vs. UCCS (21-16, 10-10 RMAC) – Friday, 12 p.m. – Doubleheader – Jim Darden Field [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]

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FINAL HOME SERIES
The final series of home action has arrived for the Colorado School of Mines Baseball team, and UCCS is coming to town for pre-Easter showdown. Due to a variety of factors, the series has been condensed into two doubleheaders. The first twin bill will start Thursday at noon with a nine-inning game followed by a seven-inning game. Additionally, Senior Day festivities will take place Thursday evening. Friday currently features the same format. However, if the weather doesn't cooperate, Friday's doubleheader would move to Saturday at noon. Both teams are fighting for their postseason lives so the baseball should be spicy.
 
BWARE THE WEATHER
As mentioned above, Friday's doubleheader could be moved to Saturday due to the weather. In fact, it's quite likely. Furthermore, field conditions could impact Saturday's games as well. Fans should keep an eye on social media and www.minesathletics.com to stay up to date.
 
COMPLIMENTARY ADMISSION
Due to the schedule changes, admission to this week's baseball games will be complmentary.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Every Mines home game and all RMAC games can be seen live and for free on the RMAC Network at www.minesathletics.com/tv. The RMAC Network can also be found on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Firestick, and Android TV devices by going to the app store and searching "RMAC." Fans can also follow @OrediggersBSB on "X" (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Live stats of all games are linked above and at www.minesathletics.com as well.
 
WEATHER FORECAST
Thursday afternoon features quality conditions. There will be partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-60s. Friday and Saturday don't look great. There is a high chance of precipitation, both rain and snow. Temps won't break 40 degrees.
 
SENIOR DAY
The doubleheader on Thursday will be Senior Day for the Orediggers, and there will be a number of festivities. The first celebration of the day will be a longstanding Mines tradition, the dad's first pitch. Senior fathers will throw the ceremonial first pitch to their sons. After the doubleheader, each senior will be recognized on the field with family and friends in attendance. The five seniors to be recognized are Matthew Dobberthien, Mason Andrews, Canon Humphreys, Wayne Moeck, and Ryan Vermeer. Check below for a small profile on each senior.
 
MATTHEW DOBBERTHIEN
A native of Calgary, Alberta, Dobberthien joined the Orediggers prior to the 2023 season after time at Colby Community College. Over the last three years, Dobberthien has posted a 3-3 record and a 13.50 ERA in 30 appearances out of the bullpen. He also touts two saves, 21 strikeouts and just 15 walks in 33.1 innings of work. The Canadian earned the D2 ADA Academic Achievement award in 2023 and appeared on the RMAC Academic Honor Roll in 2024. He's pursuing his degree in civil engineering.
 
MASON ANDREWS
Mason Andrews arrived in Golden in 2021 and redshirted his first season before putting together one of the best careers in program history. The McKinney, Texas, native is listed 25 times in the program record book including the career record for walks. He owns a .326 batting average wit h185 runs on 191 hits including 43 doubles, eight triples, 44 home runs, and 160 RBI. Andrews has also walked 88 times and stolen 28 bases. He's appeared on the RMAC Academic Honor Roll three times, and earned Second-Team All-Region and First-Team All-RMAC in 2024. That season also included RMAC, regional, and national hitter of the week honors. Andrews earned his bachelor's degree from Mines in civil engineering in 2024. He's currently pursuing a master's degree in engineering & technology management.
 
CANON HUMPHREYS
The Colorado native started his career at Clark College in Vancouver, Wash., before coming to Mines in 2024. Over the last two seasons, Humphreys has served as the Orediggers' starting shortstop and turned in a .351 batting average while scoring 63 runs on 110 hits including 23 doubles, three triples, and five home runs with 46 RBI. The infielder also boasts 24 walks, 16 sacrifice bunts, and 11 stolen bases. In 2024, Humphreys was named CSC Academic All-District. He's pursuing his degree in mechanical engineering.
 
WAYNE MOECK
Wayne Moeck started his collegiate career as an Oredigger in 2021 and started in the outfield for a majority of his career with a redshirt season in 2023. Moeck's career numbers include a .264 batting average with 109 runs on 131 hits including 28 doubles, four triples, and 10 home runs with 83 RBI. He boasts 71 walks which ranks in top-10 in program history. The San Diego, Calif., native has also stolen 23 bases. Moeck has earned distinction as RMAC First-Team All-Academic, the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award, CSC Academic All-District, and RMAC Academic Honor Roll. He earned his bachelor's in civil engineering last May. Moeck is now pursuing a master's degree in structural engineering.
 
RYAN VERMEER
Ryan Vermeer has been with the Orediggers since 2021. He redshirted his first season after a successful prep career in Ankeny, Iowa. Since then, Vermeer has accumulated 11 runs, seven hits including one double, six RBI, 11 walks, and one sacrifice fly. Vermeer has appeared on the RMAC Academic Honor Roll three times and earned the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award in 2023. He claimed his bachelor's degree in quantitative biosciences & engineering last May. He's now pursuing a master's degree in the same discipline.
 
SCOUTING UCCS
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is 21-16 overall and 10-10 in RMAC play. They Mountain Lions are currently #6 in the conference standings. Last weekend, UCCS split its series against Colorado Mesa. As a team, the Mountain Lions are hitting .348 and rank top-10 in the country in multiple offensive and defensive categories. Their combined ERA is 6.94. Kit Wigington is well-known and one of the top-two hitters for UCCS. He's batting .418 with 33 runs in 56 hits including 14 doubles, three triples, and six home runs with 36 RBI. Bryce Peterson is also hitting .418 with 39 runs on 59 hits with 18 doubles, one triple, and seven home runs while touting 37 RBI. Mikey Brinton's nine home runs are notable as well. On the mound, Ryder Mancuso and Jason Fink both tout four wins each. Joshua Zotto is 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA in 12 appearances out of the bullpen. Joe Plise owns four saves. Mancuso's 42 strikeouts are tops on the team. So are his 25 walks.
 
OREDIGGERS AGAINST THE MOUNTAIN LIONS
Mines and UCCS played two non-conference games earlier this season in Colorado Springs. The Mountain Lions won the first game, 13-8. The Orediggers won the second game, 8-7. Jackson Babcock and Jackson Woolwine both went yard for Mines. Seaver Newby was the winning pitcher thanks to 7.2 innings of four-run (three earned) relief featuring four strikeouts and two walks. The split pushed Mines' advantage in the all-time series to 23-12.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Orediggers hosted Regis last weekend. The Rangers won all four games. Mines was competitive in a 9-6, 10-inning loss in the opener and a 6-4 loss in the finale. Regis dominated Saturday's doubleheader, 16-7 and 13-5. Jackson Babcock hit .467 for the weekend. Mason Andrews hit the Orediggers' lone home run. Seaver Newby, Will Niles, and Grady Booth took the losses on the mound. Sam Monk turned out a 0.00 ERA across 2.0 innings of work in two appearances.
 
ONE SEASON, TWO CYLCES
Two different Orediggers have hit for the cycle in 2025. For those who don't know, hitting for the cycle in baseball involves an individual recording at least one single, one double, one triple, and one home run in the same game. Jackson Babcock did it first in a non-conference game against Adams State in Colorado Springs. He became the first Mines player to hit for the cycle since Adam Houghtaling did it at Colorado Christian in 2023. Houghtaling actually hit for the cycle twice in his career with the first occurrence coming at UCCS in 2022. Babcock started his quest with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning. He notched his triple as the leadoff man in the second inning. The third baseman homered again in the fourth. It was a grand slam – his second of the season. Babcock recorded his single in the sixth inning and then doubled in the eighth inning just before the game was ended due to darkness. Overall, the League City, Texas, native finished the game 5-for-5 with five runs and six RBI. He reached base in all six plate appearances. Additionally, Babcock's five runs tied the program's single-game record. Jackson Woolwine hit for the cycle at home against New Mexico Highlands. His cycle featured a double in the first inning, a groundball RBI in the second inning, a single in the third inning, a home run in the fifth inning, and a triple in the sixth inning. Woolwine hit the milestone (pun intended) in a game scheduled for seven innings where Mines only batted six times.
 
IN THE PROS
Over the last seven years, three Orediggers have entered baseball's professional ranks. Mikey Gangwish (2016-19) was the first as he played professionally in Australia before returning to a contract with the Evansville Otters of the independent Frontier League. He has since retired and earned his master's degree at Mines. The second was Trevor Kehe (2017-19) who was drafted in the 36th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He worked in the Orioles organization for three years and advanced as far as High-A ball with the Aberdeen IronBirds before retiring. Rounding out but leading the trio is Walter Pennington (2017-20).
 
WALTER PENNINGTON
Walter Pennington had a milestone season in 2024. After spending 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 in the Kansas City Royals minor league system, the former Oredigger left-handed pitcher broke into the big leagues. He made his MLB debut with the Royals against the Rockies at Coors Field, just miles from his childhood home. That appearance made the Broomfield, Colo., native just the second Mines player to ever make the big leagues and the first in over a century. Eventually, Pennington was traded to the Texas Rangers for known-veteran Michael Lorenzen. Pennington moved between triple-A Round Rock and the Rangers' big-league club. For the year, the lefty's big-league resume featured a 1-0 record with a 3.00 ERA in 16 games and one start. He struck out 17 and walked 11 across 18.0 innings of work. For his career in the minor leagues, Pennington is 23-11 with a 3.49 ERA in 149 appearances and four starts. He also boasts 10 saves and 258 strikeouts with 245.0 innings under his belt. To round it all out, Pennington was named to the International League (AAA) All-Star team. More to come on Pennington as the season progresses.
 
THE SKIPPER
The 2025 campaign marks Mines' seventh season with Robby Bales as head coach. During his tenure as the Oredigger skipper, Bales holds an overall record of 157-132 with a mark of 101-86 in RMAC play. He has coached his players to 26 All-RMAC awards, 19 all-region awards, eight all-America nods, seven CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, one MLB Draft Pick and had one player signed as a free agent in the MLB. Furthermore, Bales touts two RMAC Pitchers of the Year during his time at the helm including RMAC Pitcher of the Year, NCBWA South Central Region Pitcher of the Year, D2CCA South Central Region Pitcher of the Year and the RMAC's all-time wins leader in Tyler Blomster. Additionally, Bales has guided Mines to the NCAA Tournament once, and RMAC Tournament four times, advancing to the regional and conference tournament final in 2019. Bales' teams have also performed in the classroom as the squad brought home the RMAC Brechler Award in 2020, 2021, and 2023 as the team boasting the highest combined GPA in the conference.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will play its last home games of 2025 next weekend as the Orediggers welcome UCCS to Golden on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the gate. Live stats and video on the RMAC Network will be 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.