LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Mines baseball rallied to a 15-14, extra-innings win Friday afternoon in its thrilling series opener at New Mexico Highlands.
 
Evan Bilter finished the game with four hits including a home run, a double, and two singles – coming just triple short of hitting for the cycle. He scored twice and drove in three runs as well. Tyler Hummel tallied four RBI as part of a three-hit day. Brody Duvall and Tyler Easter each scored three runs on three hits apiece. Alex Dunagan, Jackson Babcock, and Easter joined Bilter with one double each. Matt Potter was Mines' starter on the mound and lasted 5.0 innings but did not factor in the decision. Luke Parker (1-1) earned the win after pitching 3.2 innings of relief with three strikeouts and two walks. Grady Booth and Brand Schaff also came out of the bullpen for the Orediggers.
 
As a team, Mines (6-13, 3-2 RMAC) scored its 15 runs on 22 hits including four doubles and one home run. New Mexico Highlands registered its four runs on 15 hits with two doubles and two home runs but committed four errors in the field. Those miscues resulted in nine unearned runs. The Cowboys' pitchers combined to strike out six while walking just three. The Orediggers' arms posted seven strikeouts compared to six walks while hitting five batters. The win was also Mines' first extra-innings contest of the season. The loss was New Mexico Highlands' eighth straight dating back to February 27.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the very first inning, Mines stacked four runs on five hits and benefited from two NMHU errors. Then, New Mexico Highlands matched those four runs with four hits to make the score 4-4 after one full frame of play. Both pitchers settled in and each team scored just one run across the next five innings. The sixth frame started with back-to-back doubles off the bats of Bilter and Babcock. Later in the inning, Hummel hit a two-run single and Alex Freund drove in Easter to give the visitors an 8-5 lead. However, the Cowboys answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and made it five unanswered runs with a trio in the seventh. That afforded the home team a 10-8 lead. Neither team scored in the eighth inning, but Mines was far from done.
 
In the top of the ninth, the Orediggers loaded the bases with zero outs. Bilter hit a sacrifice fly which brought Justin Kubojiri across the plate. A ball in play off the bat of Babcock allowed Duvall to score and tie the game 10-10. Parker and Mines' defense retired NMHU in order and sent the game to the 10th. In the lone extra frame, the Orediggers exploded for five runs on five hits with the help of two more New Mexico Highlands' errors. Easter, Freund, Hummel, Duvall, and Dunagan all scored on the way to a 15-10 advantage for Mines. The Cowboys nearly forced another extra frame, but a four-pitch strikeout by Hummel and a groundball to Hummel and shortstop halted the rally at four runs and clinched the Oredigger victory.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 44-32 against New Mexico Highlands since 2008 and 9-1 in its last 10 meetings with the Cowboys.
- Bilter's home run was his sixth of the season and 12th of his career. He's hitting .462 through 19 games in 2026.
- Bilter also touts a hit in 13 consecutive games.
- Dunagan leads the Orediggers with 10 doubles so far this season. He's up to 22 in his career.
- Parker's win against New Mexico Highlands was the first pitching victory of the sophomore's college career.
- Potter produced the longest outing on the mound of his career as a redshirt freshman.
- Ben Leiphart has reached base safely in 11 straight games.
- Every Oredigger batter on Friday recorded at least one hit and scored at least one run.
- Head Coach Robby Bales is now 165-153 in his eighth season at the helm.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines and New Mexico Highlands continue their RMAC series on Saturday with a doubleheader at noon in Las Vegas, N.M.
 
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.