DENVER, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team used a trio of solid pitchers to produce a 4-3 win at Metropolitan State University of Denver Friday afternoon.
Evan Reynolds and
Cole Philip combined to hold the Roadrunners to three runs before
Vander Hodges closed the game on the mound behind a double play to seal the win in the series opener, 4-3.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Score: UCCS 4, MSUD 3
Records: UCCS (9-12, 2-3 RMAC) | MSUD (16-7, 1-4 RMAC)
Facility | Location: Assembly Athletic Complex | Denver, Colo.
All-Time Series: MSU Denver owns a 15-10 all-time series against UCCS with the Mountain Lions winning two of the last three games.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Second baseman Macully Sehr went to work right away, taking the second pitch of the day and sending it yard over the left field fence. Evan Reynolds started on the mound for the Mountain Lions and retired the first two batters. Quickly facing a bases loaded situation, the Roadrunners Zach Schuler hit an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1 after one inning of action.
- The Mountain Lions tallied four base runners between the second and third frames, but both teams went scoreless in the next five innings that totaled five hits between the two teams.
- Facing a new pitcher in the seventh frame, the Mountain Lions Hodges, Ronan Hella and Sehr each drew a walk to load the bases just three batters into the inning. The 1-1 tie was broken, and the lead went back in favor of the Mountain Lions after leftfielder Kit Wigington hit a ground out RBI to plate Hodges, putting UCCS on top, 2-1.
- Cole Philip, who entered the game in relief of Reynolds at the top of the fourth inning, retired the side in the sixth and seventh innings, keeping UCCS in control of the Roadrunners.
- UCCS added two insurance runs off two hits in the eighth inning. Kasey Campbell, who reached base on a walk, moved to second base on Hayden Iverson's sac bunt. The next batter, catcher Tyler Richardson, hit an RBI double that reached the left field fence to bring home Campbell, followed by Hodges who added a single RBI to the right side, giving UCCS a 4-1 lead after Richardson crossed home plate.
- The Roadrunners matched UCCS' run output in the bottom of the eighth frame on a two-run homerun from Schuler.
- The Roadrunners held UCCS to three-up, three-down in the top of the ninth frame. Holding onto a 4-3 lead in the last half inning of the game with one out and one runner on base, coach Dave Hajek made a defensive adjustment, moving Hodges from third base to the mound as Mason Pastorello entered the game at third. On just his third pitch of the game, Hodges forced the Roadrunners to hit into a double play as Hella fielded the ball and turned it to Sehr and then Caleb Stubbings to end the game and seal the road win.
GAME STATISTICS
- The Mountain Lions scored four runs on five hits, two of which were extra base hits behind Sehr's home run and Richardson's double.
- Madison and Iverson added to the offensive effort with each of them recording a sac hit.
- Hodges led UCCS at the plate as the only Mountain Lion to record multiple hits. He finished the game going 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI, one run scored and a walk.
- Richardson's double was his lone hit of the game that also plated a run and eventually brought him home in the seventh inning.
- Sehr registered one hit on three at-bats and drew two walks to go with his home run.
- Reynolds worked the first three complete innings on the mound, allowing just one run on four hits while sitting down two batters.
- Philip pitched the next five and one-thirds inning, striking out four batters while only two runs scored on four hits.
- Cam Yuran led the home team with three hits, three RBI and a run scored. On the mound, Reichle Arcilise pitched the first six innings for MSU Denver, allowing one run on three hits and striking out 10 batters.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Entering today's game, the Roadrunners were averaging 10.9 runs per game. UCCS held MSU Denver to three runs, their second fewest scored in a game.
- The Mountain Lions retained MSU Denver to a .242 batting average today (8-for-33). Before today's game, the Roadrunners were fourth in Division II in batting average with a .352 mark.
- Sehr's home run to lead off the game marked his first career home run, and it brought his hitting streak to five games.
- Richardson's double was his first of the season as Hodges stole his first base and is 1-of-2 on the year.
UP NEXT
- Both teams will be back in action tomorrow for a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
