LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team swept Friday's double-header against New Mexico Highlands University to take the series 3-1.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 
Final: Game 1: UCCS 7, NMHU 3 | Game 2: UCCS 8, NMHU 7
Records: UCCS (7-1, 3-1 RMAC), NMHU (5-7, 3-5 RMAC)
Location: Brandt Baseball Field | Las Vegas, N.M.
All-Time Series: UCCS leads the all-time series with a 16-4 record.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE:
• Baseballs continued to fly out of the ballpark on Friday with New Mexico Highlands striking first with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to grab the early lead 1-0.  
• After the one run inning to begin the game, UCCS starting pitcher Daniel Silva was almost un-hittable as he would go the next seven innings scoreless with eight strikeouts and only one hit allowed.
• As Silva went to work on the Cowboys offense, the Mountain Lions generated some offense of their own by tying the game up 1-1 in the top of the fourth.
• Starting shortstop Matt McDermott got the inning started with one of his signature doubles down the left field line to place himself in scoring position right out of the gate. Jake Anderson would fly out to deep center the next at-bat to move McDermott over to third base as Aaron Faragallah grounded out to third to score McDermott and register the RBI.
• After Silva retired the Cowboys in order in the fourth and struck out the side in the fifth, UCCS would capture their first lead of the game in the top of the sixth and not let go.
• Left fielder Evan Richards laced a ball to the left center gap for his second triple of the series and came in to score off a wild pitch for a quick run to start the inning. Anderson then reached base by fielder's choice where the hot hitting Jaeden Hegmann drove him in off a double to the left center gap, giving UCCS the 3-1 lead.
• UCCS would post another two-run inning in the seventh as a Kiichi Sato single and Evan Richards walk put runners on first and second for McDermott who peppered his second double of the game to record two RBI and increase their lead 5-1.
• Before the Mountain Lions entered the bottom of the ninth inning, UCCS provided more insurance thanks to a pair of solo home runs by Hegmann in the top of the eighth and Luis Samorano in the top of the ninth to bring the score to 7-1.
• Holding a six-run lead, Silva struck out the leadoff batter for the first out of the inning before walking the next batter and giving up a single to end his stellar outing.
• Redshirt junior Joseph Harris would relieve Silva and close the game out for UCCS after NMHU recorded a two-RBI double, leaving the final score 7-3.
 
STATS FROM GAME ONE
• Daniel Silva secures his second win of the season as he finished the day with eight and one third innings pitched, three earned runs, three hits, while tying his career high in strikeouts with 11.
• Jaeden Hegmann led the way with a 3-for-4 day at the plate, recording a double and home run for two RBI in the game.
• Matt McDermott would also tally two RBI as he finished 2-for-4 with two doubles.
The Mountain Lions outhit the Cowboys 9-4 in the ballgame as UCCS had six runners left on base.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO:
• Game two got off to a similar start as game one with NMHU breaking the scoreless tie with three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
• A UCCS fielding error and Cowboys single quickly put starting pitcher Jonathan Cowles and the Mountain Lions in a tough spot with no outs. NMHU would keep the inning going with a double, sacrifice fly, followed by a single to give the Cowboys a 3-0 lead as Cowles closed out the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.
• Staying calm and collective the Mountain Lions would jump out to their first lead of the game after Jake Anderson lifted a solo shot to deep left center field to put UCCS on the board 3-1 in the top of the second.
• Down two runs, UCCS strung together a four-run third inning that started with a Kiichi Sato leadoff walk and Luis Samorano ground rule double to place runners on second and third. Situational hitting kicked in for UCCS as Evan Richards flew out to left field for a sacrifice fly and the first run of the inning. NMHU threw out Samorano on the Richards fly out to garner two quick outs on the play, but Matt McDermott picked the offense back up by driving a ball up the middle for a single. With two outs Anderson came to the plate and delivered an absolute bomb for the second straight inning as he sent a two-run homer deep left field for two RBI. Not yet finished, right fielder Aaron Faragallah blasted a solo home run for good measure to go back-to-back home runs and give UCCS the 5-3 lead.
• In the bottom of the fourth inning NMHU worked the game back to a tie with a solo home run to start the inning followed by a double then a single to bring the score to 5-5.
• Now with the game tied, the Cowboys replicated their scoring from the fourth by posting another two runs in the bottom half of the fifth to recapture the lead. A hit by pitch put the leadoff runner on for the Cowboys as Jared Brown came up to hit a two-run home run to put the score 7-5 in favor of NMHU.
•  With their backs against the wall heading into the top of the sixth, the Mountain Lions showed no quit as they tied the game with two runs off two outs. After NMHU made the pitching change to Blake Collier to start the inning, Collier made the first two outs by way of fly out to bring up Evan Richards who worked his way to walk, becoming the first baserunner for the Mountain Lions in the inning.  With two doubles under his belt on the day, McDermott came up next to rip his third double of the day to give UCCS some life in the sixth as two runners were now in scoring position for cleanup hitter Anderson. As he's done all series, Anderson came in clutch to drive in both Richards and McDermott off a single up the middle to tie the game at 7-7.
• After five complete innings of work, Cowles' day was finished as head coach Dave Hajek made the call to the bullpen for lefty Hayden Salverda to start the bottom of the sixth. From there Salverda took care of business by retiring the side in order and recording two strikeouts in the process to complete the sixth inning.
• Entering the top of the seventh with the game tied 7-7, UCCS got their leadoff hitter on as Jaeden Hegmann was hit by a pitch to represent the go-ahead run on first. From there the Mountain Lions went to small ball as Jake Sellinger laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Hegmann into scoring position. After a groundout to shortstop for the first out of the inning, redshirt sophomore Kiichi Sato stepped up to the plate to drive a ball to left field for a go-ahead RBI single to take the lead 8-7.
• Up by one, Hajek went to senior Nate Jenkins for the save opportunity in the bottom of the seventh. Jenkins fanned the first batter of the inning but the Cowboys still had some fight left as the next two batters singled to put the game tying run on second and the go-ahead run on first. After the two Cowboy hits, Jenkins did not let up as he retired the next batter with a pop up to first base then closed out the game with a strikeout to record his second save of the season.   
 
STATS FROM GAME TWO
• Hayden Salverda comes away with the win after going one complete inning with no hits, no runs, and two strikeouts.
• Jake Anderson registers a game high five RBI off a 3-for-4 performance with two home runs.
• Jaeden Hegmann finishes game two going a perfect 2-for-2 with a double and a walk.
• UCCS outhit NMHU 11-9 in the ballgame as the Mountain Lions stranded a game high eight runners.
 
BEYOND THE BOX:
• UCCS scored 54 runs in the series including 125 total bases for an impressive team SLG% of .822 as they recorded a team batting average of .382.
• A combined 30 extra base hits were tallied by the Mountain Lions including 10 doubles, three triples, and 17 home runs.
• Jaeden Hegmann hit an incredible .563 after going 9-for-16 with three home runs, two doubles, and eight RBI.
• Evan Richards also notched eight RBI through four games after going 6-for-16 with two triples and two home runs.
• Mountain Lions set a new program record with eight home runs in one game on Thursday.
• UCCS' five home runs in the fourth inning of game two on Thursday is the first time since 2017 that a Division II team has recorded five home runs in one inning (6 Tuskegee vs. Kentucky St. (2nd) (7 inn.) March 24, 2017).

UP NEXT:
The Mountain Lions will gear up for a big home series as they prepare to host No. 5 Colorado Mesa University for a four-game series starting with game one on Friday, Mar. 19 at 3 p.m.
 
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.