COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team allowed six runs in the final three innings as they drop the final game of the weekend series 8-7.
INSIDE THE MATCH UP
- Final Score: UCCS 7, CSM 8
- Records: UCCS (7-4, 0-0 RMAC) | CSM (5-8, 0-0 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Mountain Lion Park | Colorado Springs, Colo.
- All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions move to 12-23 all-time against the Orediggers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Mountain Lions' starting pitcher Joe McDermott allowed an early run in the first inning as the first two batters for CSM reached base safely, but he quickly settled in, recording six straight outs to hold the score at 1-0 in favor of the Orediggers heading into the bottom of the second inning. The Mountain Lions loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the second inning after the first three batters reached on a hit by pitch. With three men on, Nolan Oliver hit a long single off the wall in left center to score the first run of the game for UCCS. The next batter, Dillon Vroman, hit a sharp line drive up the middle to score the next two runs and take a 3-1 lead heading into the third.
- After allowing another run in the top of the third, the Mountain Lions answered back in the bottom half when an error on a steal attempt with runners on the corners allowed Tyler Genrich to score and take a 4-2 lead into the fourth. With no runs scored in the fourth or top of the fifth, the Mountain Lions added some insurance in the form of a solo shot to right center field off the bat of Bryce Peterson to go up 5-2 with four innings left to play.
- Right hander Joshua Zotto came out to pitch in relief of McDermott in the sixth inning and ran into a bit of trouble when the Orediggers had two runners in scoring position with two outs. In need of an out, the next CSM batter fouled out to third base to keep it a three-run game. A scoreless bottom of the sixth led to a fruitful top of the seventh as the Orediggers turned over the lineup to Jackson Woolwine with one out and two runners on, who proceeded to launch a three-run home run to tie the game at 5-5 going into the bottom of the seventh.
- With junior pitcher Ronan Hella taking the mound in the eighth inning, CSM's leadoff batter reached on a double to the right field fence and quickly traded places with the next batter to give the Orediggers their first lead since the second inning. The next batter reached on a single to put runners on the corners with no outs, and another run was tacked on as UCCS catcher Nolan Ackerman mishandled a throw on a play at the plate, making it a 7-5 ballgame. Mountain Lion pitcher Joe Plise would come out in relief of Hella with one out and walked his first batter to load the load the bases. The only run Plise would allow in the eighth inning came from a wild pitch to head into the bottom of the inning down 8-5.
- The Mountain Lions answered back when James Harbison sent a ball down the right field line for a pinch-hit double in the bottom of the eight inning and scored on a center field single off the bat of Vroman to take a two-run deficit into the ninth. After Plise retired the side in the top half of the ninth inning, shortstop Trevor Dale rounded the bases after he sent a home run over the batter's eye in center field to make it an 8-7 game.
- Succeeding Dale's solo shot, the next two UCCS batters reached safely to bring Vroman to the plate with runners on first and second base. With an 0-2 count, Vroman lifted the fifth pitch of the at bat into shallow left field that was put away by the shortstop to give the Orediggers an 8-7 victory.
GAME STATISTICS
- The Mountain Lions recorded 17 hits to the Orediggers' 14.
- Dillon Vroman led UCCS with three RBI's on the afternoon and matched Nolan Oliver with three hits to lead the team.
- Starting pitcher Joe McDermott allowed two runs on four hits in five innings pitched.
- Ronan Hella (0-2) is pinned with the loss for UCCS, as Seaver Newby (3-0) grabs the win after a solid seven and two-thirds innings of work.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Through the first 11 games of the season, the Mountain Lions have four different qualified position players batting over .300 on the season.
- UCCS finishes the weekend with a win in their lone game vs. Adams State, and splits their two games with Colorado School of Mines.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will travel to Lakewood, Colo on Friday, Feb. 28 to take on Colorado Christian University with first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m. (MT).
SOCIAL
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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.
