COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball split Saturday's doubleheader behind a three-home run performance from
Caleb Stubbings in game one. The UCCS offense couldn't get much going in game two as they fell, 7-4.
INSIDE THE MATCH UP
- Final Score: Game 1: UCCS 14, RU 12 | Game 2: UCCS 4, RU 7
- Records: UCCS (8-23, 5-10 RMAC) | RU (18-14-1, 9-6 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Mountain Lions Park | Colorado Springs, Colo.
- All-Time Series: UCCS maintains the series advantage over Regis, leading 18-17 through 35 matchups.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- Mountain Lions catcher Evan Steinberger started the game with a nice defensive play behind the plate as he threw Regis' leadoff hitter out at second base to aid UCCS in having a scoreless top of the first.
- Hayden Iverson started things off for the UCCS offense with a single to right field. Kit Wigington followed with an opposite field double to score Iverson and the Mountain Lions saw themselves up 1-0. Caleb Stubbings drove in the next two runs with his first homerun of the season and UCCS commanded a 3-0 advantage after one.
- Starting pitcher Colton Trudeau shut down the Rangers attack in the top of the second and the Mountain Lions repaid this effort instantly. Wigington smacked a two-run dinger over the right field fence, followed by Stubbings who hit his second homerun in two innings, and finally Kasey Campbell who trailed that with a solo shot of his own. UCCS would hold a comfortable 7-0 lead heading into the third inning.
- Trudeau ran into trouble in the top of third as Regis found themselves with the bases loaded and one down. Trudeau kept his composure and forced a huge 6-4-3 inning ending double play against the Rangers three-hole hitter. Iverson tacked on another run for the Mountain Lions in the bottom of the third, scoring in Dillion Vroman from first base on a double down the left field line to make the score 8-0 UCCS.
- The Rangers got themselves on the board with a solo homer in the top of the fourth and a wild pitch to make it 8-2. With two down and runners on third and first, Iverson made an outstanding diving catch deep in center field to end the inning.
- Continuing his amazing performance, Stubbings hit his third homerun in his third consecutive at bat over the right field fence to make it 9-2 UCCS going into the fifth inning.
- Cole Phillip entered for Trudeau after a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth and the Rangers attacked, pulling this game within three (9-6). To open the bottom of the fifth, Brady Lachemann led off with a single shadowed by Iverson who collected his fourth hit and second double of the day. The Regis pitcher balked home both Lachemann and Iverson making it 11-6. UCCS added three more later in the inning and entered the sixth with an eight-run lead (14-6).
- The Rangers tallied two more in the sixth after a two-run homer from Levi Padilla making it 14-8. UCCS went one-two-three in the bottom of the sixth and looked to close it out in the top of the seventh.
- The Rangers threatened in the final inning, but Garrett Shriver shut them down and closed out the 14-12 victory for UCCS.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME ONE
- Four different Mountain Lions recorded three hits or more with those being Iverson, Wigington, Stubbings, and Campbell.
- Iverson fulfilled his leadoff duties well today as he went 4-for-5 with two doubles, three runs scored, a RBI, and some great defense in center.
- Wigington posted a 3-for-4 day that included a homerun, two doubles, and three RBIs.
- Stubbings massive day included three bombs in three at bats, one walk, four RBIs, and four runs scored.
- Campbell added three hits in four tries including a homerun, two RBIs, one run scored, and a stolen base.
- Vander Hodges (shortstop), Lachemann (second base), and Stubbings (first base) connected for three twin killers in game one including the game sealing outs.
- Trudeau threw four innings today allowing three earned runs, three hits, and six walks while striking out two. This outing was his first victory of the season and he sits at 1-2 on the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The Rangers tacked on the first run to start game two, but UCCS responded in their half of the inning with a Caleb Stubbings double that scored Alec Gomez. Following this, Kasey Campbell doubled in Stubbings to give the Mountain Lions a 2-1 lead going into inning number two.
- Regis took the lead right back in the top of the second with a pair of runs to lead it 3-2. The Rangers wouldn't hold the lead long as Joe Plise doubled off the center field wall in the next half inning followed by Hayden Iverson who would drive them both in with an opposite field home run making it 4-3 UCCS.
- Mountain Lions starting pitcher Jason Fink led UCCS' defense to a silent third and fourth inning, but the Rangers then reclaimed the lead in the fifth with a pair of runs (5-4).
- Tyler Kennedy came in relief for the Mountain Lions after a third straight scoreless inning on the offensive side. Kennedy struck out his first two batters but would give up a two-run homerun to RU catcher Adam Paniagua and the Rangers would push their lead to three (7-4).
- The Mountain Lions saw another scoreless sixth but so did the Rangers in the top half of the seventh. Regis closer Ethan Sloan then entered the game to close things out for the Rangers. Sloan struck out the first two and ended the game with a groundout to short, leading to the final score of 7-4.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME TWO
- Wigington led the Mountain Lions offensively in game two going 3-for-4 with three singles.
- Iverson's second inning homerun was his fifth on the season.
- Despite the loss, UCCS outhit the Rangers 8-7 in the three-run loss.
- After scoring four in the first two innings, the Mountain Lions were held scoreless for the final five innings.
- Jason Fink went five strong innings with two earned runs, four hits allowed, three walks, and five strikeouts. Despite the strong outing, Fink falls to 0-4 on the season.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Stubbings' three-homer performance in game one ties a single game program record. This is a record Stubbings tied on April 2, 2023, against Colorado Christian University. Michael Bennin also hit three homeruns in a single game on April 28, 2019, against Colorado School of Mines. Stubbings sits at 32 homeruns in his UCCS career, one long ball behind first place in program history (Zach Hall, Evan Richards).
- With his homerun in game one, Kasey Campbell has tied Brad Madison for eighth all-time in homeruns in program history with 15.
- With his two-run shot in game two, Hayden Iverson has now hit 14 career homeruns with UCCS, tied for ninth in program history with Cody Norton and Michael Bennin.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions look to finish the series strong against Regis tomorrow afternoon with first pitched slated to be thrown at 12 p.m.
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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.
