COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Game one of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Baseball Championships shaped out to be a pitcher's duel in the rain as the No. 4 seeded University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team lost against the No. 3 seeded Dixie State University Trailblazers on a walk-off single, 2-1.
All-RMAC Second Team selection
Daniel Silva started on the bump and worked his way to a no decision as he allowed one run on four hits in eight innings of work, with six strikeouts. Dixie State's Preston Hannay matched Silva's one earned run and gave up six hits in 8 2/3 innings.
The Mountain Lions out-hit the Trailblazers 6-5 in the contest as
Cody Norton recorded the only muti-hit game by finishing 2-for-4 with a run scored. Catcher
Michael Bennin finished the day 1-for-3 and drove in the lone UCCS RBI with a single.
Dixie State led early in the ball game by providing a leadoff solo home run that just cleared the left field wall in the first inning, bringing the score to 1-0 after the first inning.
Just as they have done all season, the Mountain Lions responded quickly by tying the game up in the top of the second inning. Norton notched the first hit of the game for UCCS by driving an outside fastball to right field for a single, placing a runner on first with one out. The RMAC leader in stolen bases then snagged second base after a team strikeout to place himself in scoring position for Bennin with two outs in the inning. A Bennin RBI single to left field was able to bring in Norton as the game moved to 1-1.
The pitching duel would commence after the second inning as Silva proceeded to hold the Trailblazers scoreless for seven straight innings and only giving up three hits and fanning five batters to keep the game tied. UCCS left four runners stranded in the ball game with two runners left in scoring position.
In the bottom of the ninth,
Dagin Renck entered the game and retired the first batter of the inning to draw a quick out. The Trailblazers worked back in into the inning by placing runners on first and second with two hit by pitches. A flyball to right field made it two outs in the inning, as Dixie State tagged up from second to advance to third where a single down the left field line scored the winning run.
Wednesday's loss places the Mountain Lions in the 3 p.m. game Thursday afternoon, where they will play the winner of the Colorado Mesa University and Colorado State-University-Pueblo game.
