SAN ANGELO, Texas – The No. 24 University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team's season comes to a close as the Mountain Lions fall to No. 5 West Texas A&M University in a close 7-6 loss for game three of the NCAA Baseball South Central Regional Tournament on Friday.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: #24 UCCS 9, #5 WTAMU 11
Records: UCCS (30-12, 22-10 RMAC), West Texas A&M (32-8, 28-4 LSC)
Location: Foster Field at First Community Credit Union Stadium| San Angelo, Texas.
All-Time Series: This was the first matchup between the two teams as UCCS now trails the all-time series 0-1 against the Buffs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• UCCS got off to a slow start in the third game of the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament as the Buffs struck first with two runs off of UCCS starter
Daniel Silva as a hit by pitch and three singles resulted in the 2-0 deficit.
• Silva settled in after the two-run first to throw the next three innings scoreless, but WTAMU came back in the top of the fifth to plate two more runs and increase their lead 4-0.
• The Mountain Lions offense could only be silenced for so long as UCCS tied up the ballgame with a four-run sixth inning. Third baseman Jaeden Hegman reached base by way of fielder's choice as the smooth hitting
Evan Richards single to right field to put runners on first and second base with one out. Designated hitter
Aaron Faragallah came up to rope an RBI single for the Mountain Lions' first run of the game to setup runners on first and second. A Buffs balk then put two runners into scoring position for
Matt Berg who was determined to get two runs in. After fouling off four straight, Berg jumped on an inside pitch to drive down the left field line for a standout double as he cut the deficit to just one-run, 4-3. Berg was able to take advantage of a wild pitch to put him 90-feet away from a tied ballgame as
Michael Bennin recorded an infield single to tie it up 4-4.
• After relieving Silva in the sixth,
Braden Barker entered the game to throw a scoreless sixth and seventh inning to keep the game tied at 4-4.
• In the top of the eighth, West Texas A&M captured their second lead of the game by scoring two runs after a pair of singles and a UCCS miscue in the outfield gave the Buffs a 6-4 lead.
• Facing a two-run deficit for the second time in the game, the Mountain Lions generated momentum once again but was then halted by a 30-minute lightening delay, which was the second delay of the game. A
Jake Anderson and
Matt Berg walk plus an Aaron Faragllah single gave the Mountain Lions bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the eighth right before the delay began. Coming out of the delay, WTAMU was able to force a pop up and fly out to get out of the inning as UCCS stranded three base runners.
• With the game coming down to the wire, West Texas A&M plated a much needed insurance run by way of sacrifice fly to hold a three-run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
• A team that was no stranger to battling back, the Mountain Lions started off the home half of the ninth with back-to-back
Walker Rumsey and
Matt McDermott walks to quickly put two runners on. A groundball out followed as Rumsey and McDermott both advanced into scoring position with one out. After working a hitter's count,
Evan Richards hit a ball to the right side of the infield to plate Rumsey and cut the deficit down to two runs, 7-5. With now two outs, Anderson kept the game alive by driving in McDermott with an infield RBI single to put the Mountain Lions down by just one run. But with three pitches, West Texas A&M recorded the last out to end the game 7-6.
STATS FROM THE GAME
•
Daniel Silva gave up four runs off seven hits as the redshirt senior recorded three strikeouts in five full innings of work.
•
Braden Barker receives the loss after going 2.1 IP and allowing two runs off three hits with a walk and strikeout.
•
Joseph Harris finishes with one strikeout as he gives one run off one hit with one walk in 1.2 IP.
• Seven different Mountain Lion registered a hit on Friday as UCCS was outhit 11-10 by West Texas A&M.
•
Matt Berg came away with a team high two RBI after going 1-for-3 with a double, walk, and one run scored.
•
Jake Anderson and
Michael Bennin each went 2-for-4 in the game with an RBI.
•
Aaron Faragallah also turned in a 2-for-4 day as the designated hitter registered one RBI and one run scored.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
The 2021 season was one for the history books as the Mountain Lions (30-13, 22-10 RMAC) finished with the most wins (30), highest winning percentage (.698), and most conference wins (22) in program history. UCCS' offense was one of the best in the nation as the Mountain Lions notched season bests in batting average (.348), slugging percentage (.612), and scoring (9.81 runs per game) which all ranked top-5 in the nation before the regional tournament. To top it off, No. 24 UCCS won the program's first ever RMAC Baseball Tournament Championship to play in their first NCAA South Central Regional Tournament.
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.
