COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team claimed a series sweep at home over University of Sioux Falls. The Mountain Lions won both of Sunday's matchups (11-9, 18-14) as both teams combined to score 52 runs today. The series finale featured 32 runs and was called after six innings due to darkness.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Game One: UCCS 11, USF 9 | Final Game Two: UCCS 18, USF 14 (6)
Records: UCCS (7-9, 0-0 RMAC) | USF (0-8, 0-0 NSIC)
Facility | Location: Mountain Lion Park | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions are 4-0 all-time against the Cougars.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- Freshman Marko Sipila got the start on the mound in Sunday's game one and was tested early on when the Cougars lead off batter singled and scored a run two batters later on a two-run home run. UCCS went three and out in their first appearance at the plate while Sioux Falls tacked on two more runs in the top half of the second inning to snag a 4-0 lead.
- Vander Hodges led off the bottom of the third inning and drew a walk before taking advantage of two passed balls that moved him to third base. Macully Sehr's sacrifice fly to centerfield scored Hodges for the Mountain Lions first run of the game.
- After four runs in the first two innings, Sipila settled in on the mound and held the Cougars scoreless and hitless in the third and fourth innings. Trailing 4-1 to start the fourth inning, Brad Madison hit his second double of the game and bagged third base when Kasey Campbell grounded out to first base while Hayden Iverson tallied an RBI single. With the bases loaded and two outs, the Cougars made a pitching change with Ronan Hella at the plate. Hella was hit by a pitch that scored Iverson when the Mountain Lions next batter, Sehr, singled up the middle to score Vander Hodges and Evan Steinberger for a 5-4 UCCS lead.
- The Cougars responded in the top of the fifth inning and regained the lead, 6-5, on a two-run shot to left center. With two doubles under his belt, Madison led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a single. He read the pitch and stole second before scoring for the second time of the game on Iverson's single to right field for the equalizer, 6-6.
- Freshman Joe McDermott entered the game on the mound for the Mountain Lions in the sixth inning and surrendered two runs on two hits as the Cougars took an 8-6 lead after six and a half innings. The Mountain Lions responded with a huge sixth inning that saw them score four runs on four hits. Hella started the inning with a single to third base and moved to second after Sehr reach first base on a Cougars fielding error. Left fielder Kit Wigington loaded the bases with a single. The fourth batter of the inning, first baseman Caleb Stubbings, hit a sacrifice fly for the first out of the inning that also scored Hella. Madison followed with another sacrifice fly as Sehr knotted the game at 8-8. Back-to-back doubles from Campbell and Iverson led to the go-ahead run by Wiginton and the eventual game-winning run by Campbell.
- With a 10-8 lead after seven complete innings, the Cougars inched closer to the Mountain Lions in the top half of the eighth inning with a triple that scored Weston Gherde. UCCS added an insurance run in the bottom half of the eighth inning when Campbell's second double of the game plated Wigington for the final score of the game.
- Christopher Bryant, who entered the game in eighth inning with the tying run on third base and one out, closed out the eighth forcing USF to ground out and fly out before ending the game in the ninth inning striking out the final two Cougars.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME ONE
- UCCS accounted for 13 hits, five of which were doubles from Madison (two), Campbell (two) and Iverson.
- Madison finished the game going 3-for-4 with one run batted in and two runs scored.
- Campbell registered three hits, drove in three runs and scored one run. Iverson nearly mirrored Campbell's line, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and one run scored.
- Madison, Campbell and Iverson each tallied a stole base while Sehr, Stubbings and Madison posted scarify flies.
- Sipila worked the first five innings, allowing six runs on nine hits. McDermott earned the win after working two and one-third innings, holding USF to two earned runs on three hits, before Bryant came in to collect the save, holding the Cougars hitless and scoreless in one and two-thirds innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions found themselves in a five-run hole after two innings but dug themselves out with an eight-run third inning performance. Batting ninth and leading off the third inning, Hella drew a walk and the bases were quickly loaded with one out when Madison stepped up to the plate to hit a grand slam over the right centerfield fence. With one out and no one on base, Campbell was hit by a pitch and took advantage of a passed ball to move to second. He stole third base before scoring the tying run on a wild pitch. Once again, the Mountain Lions loaded the bases as designated hitter Mason Pastorello hit a triple deep down the left field line to plate Hella, Brady Lachemann and Brandon Bagon.
- USF added two runs in the top half of the fourth inning before Bagon threw out the Cougars Noah Christenson trying to steal second to end the inning. Luis Samorano tallied an RBI in the bottom of the fourth when he reached base on an error that scored Stubbings to give UCCS a two-run lead, 9-7.
- The Mountain Lions tacked on three more runs in the fifth inning to take a 12-7 lead after five complete innings. Searching for their first win of the season, the Cougars stormed back in the top half of the sixth inning, recording seven runs on eight hits that featured two doubles.
- Down by two runs heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, 14-12, the Mountain Lions clawed back against the Cougars to earn the fifth straight win. Tyler Richardson's first at-bat of the game was a triple down the right field line. The next three batters Sehr, Hella and Wigington drew a walk to reach base. Wigington, who entered the game as a pinch hitter, brought home Richardson on his RBI walk. Iverson then singled up the middle to add two more runs to give UCCS a 15-14 lead. With the bases loaded, Hodges hit a sac bunt to score Dylan Morace before Campbell and Samorano combined for three RBI on two hits and an 18-14 lead.
- After six complete innings in three hours of action, the game was called at 5:30 p.m. due to darkness.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME TWO
- Iverson, Madison and Campbell recorded at least two hits in the series finale. Iverson led UCCS with four hits on five at-bats, driving in three runs and scoring twice. Madison added three hits, two of which were doubles, five RBI and two runs. Campbell posted a single and a double, scored twice and brought in two runs.
- Pastorello batted in three runs on his triple as Samorano added three RBI and one hit.
- Four Mountain Lions saw action on the mound. Evan Reynolds picked up his first win of the season, pitching one inning and holding USF to two runs and three hits. Starter John Hoffman pitched the first three and two-thirds innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits and fanning four batters.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Mountain Lions swept the Cougars in their last non-conference series of the preseason, boosting their winning streak to five games.
- Madison went 6-for-8 on Sunday with four doubles, six RBI and four runs scored.
- Iverson notched five hits, six RBI and three runs scored on 10 at-bats, and Campbell posted five hits, four RBI, three doubles and three runs on Sunday.
- In today's doubleheader, UCCS outscored USF, 29-23 and tallied eight doubles and two triples.
- Both teams combined for 7-of-11 stolen bases as the Mountain Lions were successful on 4-of-5 attempts.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will be back in action March 10-12 with a conference opening series at home against Colorado State University Pueblo.
