GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – UCCS Baseball survives and advances in the RMAC tournament after downing Colorado State University of Pueblo at a final score of 8-6 on Friday. The ThunderWolves scored six runs through the first three innings but went on to get shutout the following six innings with relievers
JJ Rytz and
Joseph Harris combining to allow just three hits to secure the tournament win.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: UCCS 8, CSUP 6
Records: UCCS (22-31, 15-17 RMAC), CSUP (27-26, 17-15 RMAC)
Location: Bus Bergman Sports Complex | Grand Junction, Colo.
Series: UCCS holds a winning record of 11-3 over the ThunderWolves with the Mountain Lions winning the last three matchups.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Offensive fireworks flew in the beginning of Friday's game with the Mountain Lions and ThunderWolves each scoring a run in the first inning to setup what would be 11 combined runs scored in the next two innings.
• CSU Pueblo got the second inning started with back-to-back homers from Matt Shea and Elijah Borjas to put the ThunderWolves up 3-1 with the Mountain Lions waiting to answer back in the bottom of the seventh.
• After a CSU Pueblo infield error helped plate UCCS' first inning run, the ThunderWolves struggled once again as
Nate Heflebower reached base on a dropped third strike to give the Mountain Lions a little life with two outs in the second. An opening was all UCCS needed with
Walker Rumsey doubling to left center as Heflebower pulled off a nifty hook slide at home to give Rumsey an RBI and UCCS their second run of the game. The infield woes continued for CSU Pueblo as an error committed on a
Macully Sehr groundball kept the inning alive for the Mountain Lions as Rumsey came round to score and tie it up at 3-3.
Luis Samorano and
Kit Wigington kept the inning rolling with a single followed by a Wigington walk as a bases loaded situation turned into two RBI for
Caleb Stubbings with a single scoring Sehr and Samorano for the 5-3 UCCS lead.
• But the ThunderWolves didn't flinch heading into the third as the long ball put CSU Pueblo ahead for their second lead of the game. A UCCS fielding error gave CSUP a baserunner with two outs as the ThunderWolves repeated with back-to-back home runs with Ty Lewis driving in two on his two-run shot while Shea hit his second solo home run on the day for UCCS to trail, 5-6.
• Down one run, all it took was two batters for the Mountain Lions to jump back ahead as
Aaron Faragallah showed his plate discipline by drawing a leadoff walk to have
Tyler Richardson dig in and supply a two-run go-ahead home run to deep left field to give UCCS the 7-6 lead.
• Running into some early trouble in the fourth inning was starter
Cole Philip who hit the leadoff runner in Kysen Howard as he proceeded to steal second base to give CSU Pueblo a scoring opportunity with no outs. But Philip bounced back to strikeout the next batter and give UCCS one out as head Coach
Dave Hajek then went to the bullpen to call on
JJ Rytz. It took one batter for Rytz to settle in as a single was given up to put runners on first and third with one out, but Rytz retired the next two batters to maintain the one run lead.
• With the lead still in hand, the Mountain Lions came out in the home half of the fourth to double the ThunderWolves' deficit as Stubbings belted a solo home run to left center field to increase the UCCS lead, 8-6.
• From there, Rytz and the Mountain Lion defense kept the ThunderWolves in check by retiring them in order through the fifth and sixth inning to only give up one hit in the seventh as UCCS still led 8-6.
• In the eighth, CSU Pueblo began to generate some momentum off Rytz with two straight walks to give the ThunderWolves runners on first and second with no outs. But the call was made to the bullpen once again with
Joseph Harris entering the game and taking down CSU Pueblo on six pitches with a flyout to Rumsey in center then providing a 5-4-3 double play to Heflebower to get out of the jam with the two-run lead still intact.
• The lead and game would stay in favor of the Mountain Lions as Harris came back out in the ninth to retire the ThunderWolves and cement the 8-6 final.
STATS FROM THE DAY:
• The Mountain Lions outhit CSU Pueblo 11-9 in the contest with a total of six home runs hit, including four from the ThunderWolves with Matt Shea hitting two on his own.
• Starter
Cole Philip goes 3.1 innings while giving up six runs (three earned) on six hits as the relief team of
JJ Rytz and
Joseph Harris shut down the ThunderWolves scoreless for six consecutive innings. Rytz is credited with the win after tossing 3.2 innings and allowing just two hits as Harris closes it out by going a full two innings with one hit given up for the save.
• Luis Samorano,
Caleb Stubbings, and
Walker Rumsey all notched a team high three hits. Both Samorano and Stubbings finish the day 3-for-5 as Stubbings tallies a game high three RBI with a home run. Rumsey ends his day a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and one RBI.
• Tyler Richardson registered two RBI in the win after going 1-for-5 with a two-run home run.
BEYOND THE BOX:
• JJ Rytz garners his first win of the season as
Joseph Harris collects his third save on the year.
• Caleb Stubbings gathers his team leading 17
th multi-RBI game of the year as
Tyler Richardson registers his 12
th multi-RBI game.
• Richardson has homered in back-to-back games and has driven two RBI in five straight game while he carries an 11-game hitting streak.
UP NEXT:
• UCCS is currently in a two-scenario outcome that is dependent on the result of the MSU Denver and Colorado Mesa game tonight. If the Roadrunners win tonight, the Mountain Lions will move on to play MSU Denver in the RMAC Tournament Championship at 1 p.m. tomorrow afternoon, with an "if necessary" game scheduled for 4:30 p.m. But if CMU wins tonight, the Mavericks will move on to the title game at 4:30 p.m. with the Mountain Lions set to face MSU Denver at 1 p.m. in an elimination game.
SOCIAL:
Twitter - @GoMountainLions
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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.
