COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After nearly two weeks since their last game, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team provided an offensive spark to tally 15 runs off 18 hits to defeat the Colorado Christian University Cougars at a final score of 15-6 in the conference opener at Mountain Lion Park.

UCCS' 18 hits are a season high as the Mountain Lions contributed eight extra base hits with six doubles, one triple, and one home run. The Matt Trifecta of Matt Berg, Matt McDermott, and Matthew Clarke all backed each other as they batted in the eighth, ninth, and lead off spots in the lineup, respectively. Between the Matt Trifecta, the three combined for nine hits, eight runs, and nine RBI. Sophomore pitcher Jonathan Cowles bagged his first win of the season as he went seven full innings of work giving up three earned runs off eight hits, one walk, and four strikeouts.

The Mountain Lions jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning as Evan Richards led the inning off with a walk, then advancing to third on a Cody Norton single to left field. Richards was able to get a good read on a CCU passed ball to get the first run across the board for UCCS.

After the second inning, the Mountain Lions put up more than one run in three different innings. In the third, UCCS brought in seven runs on seven hits, while also bringing across two more runs in the fifth inning. In addition, the Mountain Lions had another big inning in the seventh to tack on five more runs off six hits.

Colorado Christian went on to register 11 hits in the game, but had a hard time keeping runners on with solid infield play by UCCS. The Cougars were able to bring a run across in the fourth, fifth, and seventh innings, before making one last push in the top half of the ninth to bring in three more runs.

UCCS and CCU will play games two and three tomorrow afternoon in a double-header that is set for a 12 p.m. first pitch.