COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team splits Wednesday's double header at home against Regis University after winning game one 9-8 and dropping game two 14-3 inside Mountain Lion Park. The Mountain Lions celebrated one senior on Wednesday as they recognized four-year UCCS Baseball student-athlete Alex Bates.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 
Final: Game 1: UCCS 9, RU 8 | Game 2: UCCS 3, RU 14
Records: UCCS (26-10, 22-10 RMAC), Regis (18-16, 14-16 RMAC)
Location: Mountain Lion Park | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: UCCS leads the all-time series with a 15-7 record against Regis.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE:
• The Mountain Lions and Rangers went back and forth through the entirety of the game as UCCS pulled off the one-run win.
• RU started Wednesday off with a two-run homer in the first but the Mountain Lions responded with two runs of their own as the RMAC Player of the Week in Matt McDermott brought the game back to a tie with a two-RBI single.
• The Rangers tried once again to get back on top with a solo home run in the third but McDermott erased the deficit once again and gave the Mountain Lions their first lead of the game by clearing the deepest part of the ballpark for a two-run home run, 4-3.
• In the fourth inning, a Regis sacrifice fly and infield single gave RU the lead once again at a score of 5-4. RU threatened to score again with bases loaded in the inning but starting pitcher Daniel Silva escaped the jam with a groundout to Henry Ryan at third to allow just two runs.
• Down 5-4 in the home half of the fourth, one swing of the bat gave UCCS their third lead as catcher Michael Bennin crushed a ball to left field for another two-run home run for the 6-5 advantage.
• Silva and the Mountain Lions ran through the Ranger lineup in the fifth as a line drive double play quickly put the bat back into UCCS' hands. In the bottom of the fifth, Evan Richards sent a line drive back up the middle and stole second to place himself in scoring position for the cleanup hitter Jake Anderson. An RBI opportunity did not escape Anderson as the redshirt senior sent a double down the left field line to make it 7-5 in favor of UCCS.
• Regis' leadoff hitter Levi Padilla brought the game back within one-run as an RBI single in the sixth came the Rangers' way. Later in the seventh inning, the score remained 7-6 until the speedy Walker Rumsey reached base via walk and quickly stole second, then in a blink of an eye reached third base as Kiichi Sato sent a groundball to the right side to advance the starting center fielder. Just 90-feet away from adding an insurance run, Rumsey succeeded in scoring by taking advantage of a wild pitch to make it 8-6 in favor of UCCS.
• Silva entered the eighth inning still holding his own as the Rangers found a brief window of momentum where they forced bases loaded with one out. RU was able to plate one run in the inning by way of sacrifice fly but that would be all that Silva and the Mountain Lions would allow as a forced groundout to Ryan once again got UCCS out of danger, while still holding the 8-7 lead.
• As Ryan came up big by flashing the leather at third base to help the Mountain Lions escape trouble, he also delivered at the plate in the bottom of the eighth as the redshirt sophomore went big fly to left field for a solo homer and the 9-7 UCCS lead.
• The two-run UCCS lead heading into the top of the ninth called for the team's leader in saves, Nate Jenkins. Looking for his fourth save on the season, the Rangers did not go down without a fight as a single started the inning off. Two straight groundouts led to two outs and a runner on third for Regis as the second single of the inning from Coby Zimmerman brought the game back within one run, 9-8. With two outs and a runner on first, Jenkins closed out the game by striking out the last Ranger to claim the 9-8 win.
 
STATS FROM GAME ONE
• Daniel Silva moves to 7-2 on the year after going eight full innings. The redshirt senior gave up seven runs, six earned, as he struck out three Rangers in the win.
• Redshirt senior Nate Jenkins registers his fourth save on the season after one complete inning that included two hits and one strikeout.
• Matt McDermott notches a game high four RBI after finishing 2-for-4 with a home run.
• Both Henry Ryan and Michael Bennin turn in a 1-for-4 day with a run scored and a home run as Ryan finishes with an RBI and Bennin recording two RBI.
• Kiichi Sato hits two doubles in Wednesday's game one win as he went 2-for-4. 

HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO:
• In game two, Regis jumped out to an early lead and did not let go as starting pitcher Adam Hubley kept the UCCS offense off-balance as he threw the complete seven innings.
• RU found their rhythm against UCCS starting pitcher Christian Manmano in the first inning as six hits plus two Mountain Lion errors plated three runs in the first, and one run in the second inning for the 4-0 Regis lead.
• Redshirt sophomore Ryan Schmidt came up in the fourth inning to put the Mountain Lions on the board as a solo shot to right center field put UCCS three back from the Rangers, 4-1.
• The bats came back alive for Regis in the top of the fifth as six more runs came in to put the Mountain Lions at a quick nine run deficit. After plating four runs in game one, Matt McDermott kept the RBI count going as he singled through the left side to score Walker Rumsey, making the score 10-2.
• UCCS struggled to get more runs across as the Mountain Lions loaded the bases up with two outs in the bottom of the sixth but were unable to score. In the home half of the seventh, Jake Anderson was successful in putting one more run on the board as he sent his 13^th home run of the season over the left field fence for a solo homer. Before Anderson added UCCS' third run of the game, Regis scored four in the top of the seventh to bring the final score to 14-3. 
 
STATS FROM GAME TWO
• Christian Manmano receives his first loss of the season (3-1) after going four full innings and giving up seven runs, four earned, off 11 hits and two walks.
• UCCS was outhit 17-10 in the ballgame with four different Mountain Lions recording a team high two hits.  
• Both Walker Rumsey and Kiichi Sato went 2-for-3 in game two as Rumsey came away with a double.
• UCCS abandoned nine runners on base as five of those runners were left on base in scoring position.  
• UCCS remains as the No. 3 team in the RMAC Standings. The 2021 RMAC Tournament Bracket is set to be released this weekend where the No. 3 seed will be scheduled to play the No. 4 seed. Opening rounds of the RMAC Tournament are set to begin Wednesday, May 19.

UP NEXT:
The Mountain Lions will close out their regular season this weekend as they play host to Colorado State University Pueblo. The series will consist of a nine and seven inning double header on Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15 with game one set for 12 p.m. both days.
 
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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.