LAKEWOOD, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball win a tight 7-6 battle to split the weekend series with Colorado Christian University.
INSIDE THE MATCH UP
- Final: UCCS 7, CCU 6
- Records: UCCS (7-21, 4-8 RMAC) | CCU (4-29, 2-14 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: All Star Park | Lakewood, Colo.
- All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions' all-time record vs the Cougars moves to 26-6.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Mountain Lions opened the scoring with a productive second inning at the dish. Aaron Jenkins got things started in the frame with a leadoff double but was erased on the next at bat which saw Vander Hodges ground into a fielder's choice. Hodges then swiped second to restore UCCS' scoring position, then was brought in by Colton Trudeau who swatted a double of his own into the right center field gap. Trudeau moved up to third, then came home both on passed balls, as Mason Pastorello walked and stole second before moving to third on yet another passed ball. A Dillion Vroman RBI single would cap off the effort, seeing the Mountain Lions take the field defensively with a 3-0 lead.
- The Cougars cashed in a run of their own in the third inning as Caden Walton reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Ross Panlasigui to come across.
- A pair of errors in the fifth inning from Justin Estrada and Kade Carney for CCU allowed two runners to score as Colton Trudeau and Aaron Jenkins were plated while Mason Pastorello used his speed to reach on the second gaff.
- The Cougars would make up for their indiscretions in the bottom half of that fifth inning, as Walton tripled home Kade Carney, then was brought in by Luke Thompson who singled to right and brought the score to 5-3 still in the favor of UCCS.
- Caleb Stubbings would score in the sixth on a Evan Steinberger base hit to get a run back for the Mountain Lions, as they restored the three run advantage at 6-3.
- The Cougars would go to work in the seventh and eighth to pull even, gaining two runs in the seventh on Caden Walton's home run with Kade Carney aboard. In the eighth, they would complete the deficit elimination with a Kade Carney RBI single to plate Ross Panlasigui and tie the game at 6.
- UCCS would not be denied, however, as they again turned to Dillon Vroman who has been exceptionally clutch over the series. Vroman's second RBI base hit of the game brough home Colton Trudeau in the top of the ninth to give UCCS the 7-6 lead.
- In the bottom of the ninth Dave Hajek brought on Garrett Shriver, who has been very effective lately, to close. Shriver gave up a lead off single, but would get outs from the next three batters, securing the win for UCCS and picking up the second save of his season.
GAME STATISTICS
- Dillon Vroman finished the day going 2-5 with two singles, both scoring important runs for UCCS including the game winner in the ninth.
- Garrett Shriver picks up his second save of the year.
- Ryder Mancuso (1-0) earns the win for UCCS, Chaz Graham (0-1) suffers the loss for CCU.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Garrett Shriver's last three appearances have all come in wins for UCCS. In those games (3/17 at MSUD, 3/29 & 3/30 at CCU) the senior right-hander has thrown six innings allowing just six hits with no runs and a single walk while punching out eight.
- UCCS now holds a 9-3 record on the road vs CCU.
- The Mountain Lions scored runs in the final inning of all four games of the series.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will return home to Mountain Lion Park for the first time since February 28th as they welcome Regis at 3 p.m. Friday afternoon.
SOCIAL
Twitter - @GoMountainLions
Instagram - @gomountainlions
Facebook – Go Mountain Lions
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
