STEPHENVILLE, Texas – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team split Sunday's double-header with Tarleton State University in games three and four to wrap up the road series.

Game one saw six lead changes in a back and forth scoring affair that ended in favor of TSU 13-7. The Texans out-hit the Mountain Lions 9-6 with Matt Clarke leading the way for UCCS, going 2-for-3 with two RBI. Colin Cicere got the start for UCCS, going four innings allowing seven runs, four of which were earned, on six hits, four walks and two strikeouts. Both teams left eight on base and allowed eight walks in the ball game.

UCCS got on the board first with runs in the second inning as Matt McDermott and Matt Clarke provided RBI singles to put the Mountain Lions ahead 2-0. TSU responded in the bottom of the second with one run, followed by three more runs in the third inning to claim their first lead of the game, 4-2.

But the Mountain Lions would retake the lead in the fourth inning with three runs off no hits. TSU could not take care of the ball as Alex Bates walked to give UCCS their first runner of the inning. McDermott then reached on an error from the left fielder which advanced Bates to third and McDermott to second. A hit by pitch then loaded the bases for Matt Berg who put a ball in play to score a run. After back-to-back walks, and a passed ball, the Mountain Lions retook the lead 5-4.

In the bottom half of the fourth, the Texans were able to get their first three batters on off a hit by pitch and walks, which quickly loaded the bases. The next batter was able to find a hole with a two RBI single that gave TSU the lead 6-5. TSU then tacked on an additional run off a fielder's choice to make the game 7-5.

The Mountain Lions continued to stay in the ball game as Cody Norton led off the inning with a solo shot to bring the game within one run. Riley Gregory followed it up with a walk to provide another baserunner for UCCS, who later came around to score due to a Clarke single, tying the game 7-7.

From there, TSU would take over and score six runs off only two hits in the fifth inning to put the game away. A hit batter and four walks put the Mountain Lions in a difficult position as one swing of the bat put four runs up for the Texans, as TSU ended the fifth inning up 13-7 over UCCS.

Game two was a different story, as UCCS was able to top the Texans at a final score of 7-2 in extra innings.

Daniel Silva was on the bump for UCCS as he went six innings and only allowed one run on four hits and four strikeouts. Cam Aufderheide came in relief for the Mountain Lions as he picked up his second win of the season through three innings of work.

Junior Matt Clarke led the way offensively as he produced from the lead off spot with three hits in four at-bats, while scoring three runs. On the opposite side of the lineup, in the nine hole, McDermott went 1-for-4 with a key three-run home run that widened their margin of victory in extra innings.

It was the third inning, in the Mountain Lions second time through the lineup, where they broke the scoreless tie and put a run on the board. Clarke led the inning with a double down the left field line to set himself up for Jaeden Hegmann. Hegmann responded with a single up the middle to bring in one of his two RBI in the game.

After TSU tied it up 1-1 in the fifth inning, Evan Richards dug in and hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning to get back on top 2-1. The Texans were unable to get going in the bottom of the sixth, but were able to get the tying run across in the bottom of the seventh to take the game into extras.

Later in the ball game, the Mountain Lions bust the game open with a five-run inning in the top of the ninth to outlast the Texans in extras. McDermott's long ball provided three runs with Walker Rumsey and Hegmann notching RBI singles to tally the go-ahead run, and four insurance runs.

UCCS' non-conference schedule officially comes to a close, as the Mountain Lions play their next games against Colorado Christian University on Friday, Mar. 8 at 1 p.m.