DENVER, Colo. – A ninth inning comeback fell short for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team as they dropped a 7-6 series opener to Regis University Thursday afternoon in Denver, Colo.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Score: UCCS 6, Regis 7
Records: UCCS (13-18, 5-8 RMAC) | Regis (15-16, 6-7 RMAC)
Facility | Location: Regis Baseball Field | Denver, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions hold a 17-12 all-time lead over Regis.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Hayden Iverson led off the first inning with a hard hit double to left center. The next batter, second baseman Mason Pastorello, put down a bunt to reach first base safely and move Iverson to third. Two batters and two outs later, Brad Madison stepped to the plate and laced a two RBI double to right field for a 2-0 UCCS lead after one-half inning of action.
- The Mountain Lions added another run to their lead in the top of the second frame. Third baseman Vander Hodges hit a single up the middle and moved to third base on Dylan Morace's single through the right side. Batting for the second time in as many innings, Iverson hit a sac fly RBI, bring home Hodges for a 3-0 advantage.
- Starting pitcher Cole Philip and the Mountain Lions defense held Regis scoreless on three hits in their first two outings. The Rangers cut into UCCS's lead, 3-1 on a RBI groundout in the bottom of the third inning.
- The home team would add one more run in the fourth inning before the Mountain Lions chipped in two runs in the top of the fifth frame. A leadoff single by Pastorello was followed by Caleb Stubbings' double down the right field line to move Pastorello to third base. Next to the plate, Madison collected the second out of the inning after striking out swinging, but Pastorello was able to score a run on a dropped third strike as Madison ran out the throw to first base.
- After a scoreless sixth inning by both teams, the Mountain Lions held a 5-2 lead over the Rangers heading into the seventh inning. The home team found their way to their first lead of the afternoon after plating five runs on five hits in the next two frames. The Rangers knotted the game in the seventh inning, 5-5, but a costly error by the Mountain Lions with two outs and a runner on base led to an eventual two-run RBI double and a 7-5 Regis lead in the eighth inning.
- The Mountain Lions started to mount a comeback in the top half of the ninth frame. With the first two batters striking out, left fielder Kit Wigington singled through the left side and moved to second base on Stubbings' single. With runners on first and second base, Madison hit his third RBI of the game to bring in Wigington and cut the lead down to one run, 7-6, but after a Regis pitching change, Michael May closed out the win for the home team, striking out the Mountain Lions final batter.
GAME STATISTICS
- Nine Mountain Lions accounted for 12 hits this afternoon. Pastorello, Stubbings and Madison each recorded two hits.
- Madison led both teams with three RBI behind two hits, one of which was a double. He registered two hits on four at-bats and drew one walk.
- Pastorello used his quick feet to plate two runs. He finished going 2-for-5 with two runs and a sac bunt.
- Philip pitched the first six and one-thirds\ inning, allowing four earned runs on nine hits and fanning two batters.
- Garrett Shriver entered the game in the seventh inning and wore the loss as two runs scored on three hits in the final one and two-thirds innings.
- Matt Marlow led Regis with a game high five hits. He tallied two doubles, drove in two runs and scored once.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Stubbings is currently on a 10-game hitting streak. Iverson pushes his hitting streak to seven games and Madison has now safely hit in six straight games.
- The Mountain Lions were hit a season high four times by a pitch, two of them coming across Dylan Morace.
- Today's 12-hit performance marks the sixth straight game UCCS has tallied at least 12 hits.
- Today's three doubles is the 20th game this year UCCS has notched multiple doubles.
- The Rangers struck out UCCS nine times at the plate, the fourth most the Mountain Lions have been struck out this season.
UP NEXT
- Both teams will square up again tomorrow for a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
SOCIAL
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