COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team were outlasted by the No. 1 ranked Colorado Mesa University Mavericks Friday afternoon, as CMU won with a final score of 7-3 at Mountain Lion Park.
The Mountain Lions outhit the number one team in the nation 11-10 as starting pitcher
Jonathan Cowles pitched 7 1/3 innings, giving up seven runs (four earned) off nine hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. On the offensive side of the ball, it was
John Mallon doing damage at the plate as he finished the day going a perfect 4-for-4 with an RBI in the ball game.
UCCS got the game rolling in the bottom of the first after a
Matt Berg double set up
Jake Anderson, who delivered an RBI single to take an early 1-0 lead over the Mavericks.
CMU answered right back in the second inning with a leadoff double that put the tying run into scoring position, which came around to score off a second double in the inning.
After the Mavericks' one run in the second inning, Cowles shut out CMU for four straight innings only giving up one hit and recording two strikeouts, as he had three one-two-three
innings in that span. The Mountain Lions, on the other hand, were not be shut out as they brought in a run in the fourth and fifth innings, thanks in part to Mallon and Anderson who both delivered RBI singles to give UCCS the 3-1 lead heading into the seventh.
The seventh inning is where CMU started to make a push, as the Mavericks got their leadoff hitter on due to a Mountain Lion miscue. Cowles was able to retire the next two batters with a groundout to shortstop and a line out to right field, placing the leadoff batter Will Dixon on third base with two outs. CMU's Hunter Douglas then stepped up to the plate and to hit a high fly ball to right field that sent
Cody Norton traveling back. Staying with the ball every step of the way, Norton ran out of room as the ball bounced off the top of the right field fence to land over for a game tying two-run home run.
Now tied 3-3, CMU garnered a four run and four hit eighth inning to silence UCCS with a final score of 7-3.
UCCS was able to get after starting pitcher JR McDermott, pegging him for 10 hits and three runs in the game. However, the Mountain Lions could not quite close out the game as CMU's bats kept them in it with eight of their 10 hits going down as extra base hits (6 doubles, 2 HR).
Games two and three will be played tomorrow, as UCCS and No. 1 CMU face-off in a double-header that is slated to start at 12 p.m. inside Mountain Lion park.
