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UCCS Athletics

Sotto_Jon
Isaiah J. Downing
7
N.M. Highlands NMHU 6-13, 4-11 RMAC
8
Winner UCCS UCCS 10-4, 6-4 RMAC
N.M. Highlands NMHU
6-13, 4-11 RMAC
7
Final
8
UCCS UCCS
10-4, 6-4 RMAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
N.M. Highlands NMHU 0 0 0 0 6 0 1 0 0 7 9 1
UCCS UCCS 5 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 X 8 11 3

W: Rytz, JJ (2-0) L: B. Collier (0-2) S: Geoffrion, Matt (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Mountain Lions Hold Off Cowboys for 8-7 Win

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team holds off New Mexico Highlands University in an 8-7 win inside Mountain Lion Park on Saturday.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 
Final: UCCS 7, NMHU 0
Records: UCCS (10-4, 6-4 RMAC), NMHU (6-13, 4-11 RMAC)
Location: Mountain Lion Park | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: UCCS leads the all-time series with a 17-4 record against New Mexico Highlands.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• The UCCS offense came out fast and furious in the first inning to jump out on top of the Cowboys with the early lead of 5-0.
• Redshirt junior Walker Rumsey leadoff the inning with an infield single as Evan Richards drove Rumsey in with a double down the right field line with the next at-bat. After a Matt McDermott walk put runners on first and second, Aaron Faragallah drove a ball down the left field line for the second double of the inning to score Richards and McDermott for a 3-0 lead. Two more UCCS runs were driven by redshirt freshman Nate Heflebower who stepped up to hit a two RBI single as the Mountain Lions made short work of NMHU starting pitcher Blake Collier who pitched two thirds of the inning, leaving with a 5-0 UCCS lead.
• UCCS' Jon Sotto started on the bump and navigated through the Cowboys' lineup effortlessly through the first four innings. The redshirt sophomore leaned on his defense in the second inning where NMHU threatened to score with a runner on third but a groundball double play up the middle followed by a groundout to Jake Anderson at first stranded the NMHU baserunner.
• After holding the Cowboys from scoring in the second, UCCS increased their lead with one run in the third and fourth inning. Heflebower delivered again in the home half of the third with a runner in scoring position as he lined a single to left field for his third RBI of the game. In the bottom of the third with McDermott on second base, Faragallah bounced a ball off the right center field fence for his second double of the game as McDermott came around to score to give UCCS the 7-0 lead heading into the top of the fifth.
• In the top of the fifth, New Mexico Highlands worked their way back into the ballgame with a six-run inning off four hits and two UCCS errors to make it a one-run game. The Cowboys followed UCCS' lead from the first inning as the Cowboys batted around in the order starting with a Jesus Chavez single. From there, a walk followed by two singles and a UCCS error at the plate put two runs across, ending Sotto's day on the bump. Redshirt junior Brian Marquez entered the game with bases loaded and one out as the Cowboys continued to keep the inning alive by drawing two walks and capitalizing off another UCCS error in the field to score three more runs and bring the third UCCS pitcher in to pitch. Redshirt sophomore JJ Rytz made his relief appearance and was able to stop the bleeding, but not after Chavez drove in two more runs to bring the score to 7-6.
• The miscues then swung in the direction of NMHU in the bottom of the sixth. McDermott roped a leadoff double to right center to place himself in scoring position as he later advanced to third off a groundout to third. The Cowboys then mishandled a hard groundball from Jaeden Hegmann that scored McDermott and gave UCCS an insurance run, making it 8-6.
• In the top of the seventh, The Cowboys brought one run across as two walks then an RBI single from Aidan McNichol brought the game back within one. Redshirt senior Matt Geoffrion came to enter the ballgame and closed out the seventh inning as well as the remainder of the game to register the save and secure the 8-7 win.
 
STATS FROM THE GAME
• Jon Sotto finished the day with 4.1 IP including four staright scoreless ininngs.Sottot allowed four runs, two of which were earned, while striking out four batters.
• JJ Rytz came in for relief to take the win and improve to 2-0 on the season in 1.2 IP.
• Matt Geoffrion grabs the save after 2.2 IP allowing just one hit and tallying two strikeouts.
• Nate Heflebower finished 2-for-4 on the day tied for a team high three RBI in his first collegiate start.
• Evan Richards and Aaron Faragallah each register two doubles on the day as Richards finishes 2-for-4 with an RBI and Faragallah goes 2-for-4 with three RBI.
• Matt McDermott scores a team high three runs as the graduate student turns in a 1-for-4 day with a double.
 
BEYOND THE BOX:
• Head Coach Dave Hajek is one win away from his 100th career win at UCCS.

UP NEXT:
The Mountain Lions will be back inside Mountain Lion Park on Sunday, Mar. 28 as they host New Mexico Highlands for an 11 a.m. game, followed by Colorado School of Mines for a 2:30 p.m. game. Both of Sunday's games are scheduled for nine innings to wrap up the pod weekend.
 
SOCIAL:
Twitter - @GoMountainLions
Instagram - @gomountainlions 
Facebook – Go Mountain Lions
 
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.
 
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