GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – A seventh inning comeback in game two of today's doubleheader fell just short as the University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team fell in game three of the series, 7-6, at No. 5/6 Colorado Mesa University Saturday afternoon. The Mavericks won game one of the doubleheader, 11-0.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Score Game One: UCCS 0, #5/6 Colorado Mesa 11 | Final Score Game Two: UCCS 6, CMU 7
Records: UCCS (16-25, 8-15 RMAC) | CMU (32-9, 20-2 RMAC)
Facility | Location: The Diamond| Grand Junction, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions trail CMU in the all-time series, 22-8.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both teams went scoreless in the opening stanza before the home team put four runs off of four hits on the scoreboard in the bottom of the second frame. After an RBI single scored the first run, Rob Sharrar hit a three RBI double to give his team a 4-0 advantage.
- The Mountain Lions, who were held to three up, three down in the first two innings saw Ronan Hella reach base on a single, but he was held up on the base paths in the third inning.
- Three straight single RBIs in the bottom half of the fourth frame put the Mavericks up 7-0. Conrad Villafuere put the game out of reach in the sixth inning with a grand slam, leading Colorado Mesa to their second straight 11-0 win over the Mountain Lions.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME ONE
- Caleb Stubbings accounted for two of UCCS' four hits and one of two doubles. Mason Pastorello went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double. Hella added a single to bring the Mountain Lions total of four hits.
- Four Mavericks recorded two hits each. Sharrar led both teams with two hits, four RBI, two runs scored, a home run and a walk.
- Evan Reynolds worked the first 3.1 innings, giving up seven runs (four earned) on nine hits.
- CMU's Liam Hohenstein pitched the complete game shutout, fanning eight Mountain Lions without walking one batter.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- Brad Madison roped a double down the left field line for the Mountain Lions first hit of the game. Evan Steinberger repeated Madison with another double to bring home Madison before Vander Hodges tallied the Mountain Lions third straight hit to bring in Steinberger and put UCCS on top, 2-0. The Mavericks quickly matched the score with a two RBI single in the home half of the second frame, knotting the game at 2-2.
- CMU added two runs to their lead in the third inning off an RBI single. They added their fourth run of the game on a sac fly for an unearned run. Three more runs came across the plate for the home team in the bottom of the fourth inning as their lead grew to five runs, 7-2.
- The Mountain Lions comeback started in the sixth inning on a solo home run off the bat of Madison when he went yard over the left field fence. Now trailing 7-3 entering the final inning, Aaron Brakel led off the inning with a single before reaching second base on a wild pitch. Two outs later, Stubbings laced a single through the right side to plate Brakel. The next batter to the plate, Hayden Iverson, sent the ball over the left field to bring in Stubbings. With the tying run on third base and the winning run on first base, the Mavericks Anthony Durbano struck out Hodges swinging at the plate for CMU's third out of the inning and third win of the series, 7-6.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME TWO
- Madison led the offensive attack for UCCS after going 3-for-3 with two runs, one RBI, one double and a home run.
- Steinberger chipped in three hits on four at-bats to go with an RBI, one run scored and a double.
- Hodges was one of three Mountain Lions to record multiple hits in game two. He finished the game with a 2-for-3 stat line, one walk and one RBI.
- John Hoffman took the loss on the mound and moves to 4-3 on the season. He allowed six earned runs on nine hits and sat down four batters in 3.2 innings of work.
- Ryder Mancuso finished the final 2.1 innings in relief, holding CMU to no runs and one hit.
- The Mavericks starting pitcher, Kannon Handy, posted his fifth win of the season (5-2). He threw four innings, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out five batters.
- UCCS registered six runs on 12 hits. Five of the Mountain Lions 12 hits went for extra bases, including home runs from Iverson and Madison.
- CMU put up seven runs on 10 hits and drew three walks as UCCS held them to just one extra base hit (double).
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Madison, who already owns the program record for most doubles in a season, hit his 22nd double today, and added his third home run this year.
- Iverson went yard for the seventh time this season and is tied with Kit Wigington for the second most home runs on the season behind Stubbings' eight home runs.
UP NEXT
- The series finale will commence Sunday at 12 p.m.
SOCIAL
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