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Story Photo BSB at NMHU 330
Isaiah J. Downing

Baseball Earns the Game Three Win to Split Doubleheader in New Mexico

3/29/2025 4:57:00 PM

By: Jake Ross, Assistant Sports Information Director
Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team turns their game two misfortune into game three fuel to split Saturday's doubleheader with New Mexico Highlands University.

INSIDE THE MATCH UP
  • Final Score: Game One: UCCS 3, NMHU 3 | Game Two: UCCS 17, NMHU 4
  • Records: UCCS (17-13, 7-8 RMAC) | NMHU (11-19, 1-10 RMAC)
  • Facility | Location: Brandt Baseball Field | Las Vegas, N.M.
  • All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions hold a 30-8 record against the Cowboys.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
  • For the second straight contest, UCCS opened the scoring in the first inning. Both Mikey Brinton and Bryce Peterson would lead the game off with singles, Brinton to center and Peterson to right to put runners on first and second with no one out. Kit Wigington then grounded into what looked like a routine double play, but an error at shortstop allowed Wigington to reach, with Peterson eliminated at second. Brinton read the play beautifully and came home on the mistake, giving UCCS the 1-0 lead.
  • Pitching then stole the show as only one player was able to advance past first base from the bottom of the first, through the top of the fifth. That baserunner was Lubby Marrujo who doubled in the bottom of the third, then moving up to third on a wild pitch. Marrujo would be marooned at third, however, as UCCS held on to the 1-0 lead.
  • Action picked up in the fifth inning, with UCCS throwing out three straight singles with one out in the top half of the frame, as Trevor Dale, Nolan Ackerman, and Mikey Brinton all had base hits in succession. Brinton's knock brought in Dale from second base, with UCCS doubling the lead at 2-0. A line out from Bryce Peterson and a fly out from Kit Wigington would retire the side, but UCCS looked in control in the low scoring contest.
  • A promising inning was stomped out in the bottom of the fifth, as UCCS pulled off one of the most unusual feats in the sport. A lead off walk to Drew Perez was followed by Ryan Callahan's single that put the runners on the corners, to set up Lubby Marrujo to single in Perez for the Cowboys first run. With the lead cut in half at 2-1, runners on first and second and no outs, Gael Bernal rolled over to Bryce Peterson at third who tagged his base, then went around the horn for the 5-4-3 triple play doing so for the second straight day.
  • In the sixth, UCCS tacked on a run as Hayden Iverson singled to lead off, with Dillon Vroman switching places with him on a fielder's choice. Vroman then moved to scoring position on a wild pitch, as Caleb Chance came through in the clutch with a single to center to plate Vroman. That would be all for UCCS as Chance was caught stealing at second and Caleb Stubbings grounded out on the ensuing at-bat, with UCCS now up 3-1.
  • New Mexico Highlands found runs in the bottom half of the sixth, with Bryan O'Neil earning a lead off walk and Forrest Simpson driving a base hit to left to put runners on first and second with no outs. Richie Amavizca then pinch hit and flew out to center but moved O'Neil to third, as Sammy Estrada was plunked to load the bases. Dave Hajek brought in Joe Plise to navigate the traffic, but he was unable to handle a comebacker that moved the runners station to station and cut the lead to one 3-2. Drew Perez kept the line moving with a single to score Simpson, but Plise would create outs with the next to hitters, as the game moved to the final inning tied at three.
  • In the seventh, UCCS got things going again with a one out single from Nolan Ackerman, with the catcher putting the pressure on further as he stole second. Mikey Brinton then came up with a single to left, with Ackerman having to freeze to see it down, only moving up to third. Bryce Peterson earned a walk to load the bases, with Kit Wigington unable to bring anyone in as he struck out for the second retirement. With the bases loaded and two outs, Hayden Iverson rolled over to short, as UCCS strands three without scoring.
  • A lead off walk was issued to Gael Bernal in the home half of the seventh, as Joe Plise stayed on the hill for UCCS. Plise would punch out Bryant O'Neil looking but the next two hitters in Forrest Simpson and Carlos Chavez both reached on an error, and catcher's interference to load the bases. Bernal would try and end it on a wild pitch but Tyler Buckman who came in defensively behind the plate dove back to tag Bernal out, as Sammy Estrada was given first on an intentional walk. Roman Robles, up with the bases loaded and two out, just as UCCS was in the top of the inning, didn't suffer the same fate as he crushed a grand slam to left to give the Cowboys the 7-3 victory.
               
GAME STATISTICS | Game One
  • After going scoreless through four innings, NMHU score one in the fifth, two in the sixth, and four in the seventh to defeat UCCS.
  • The Mountain Lions were lead offensively by Mikey Brinton who went 4-4 with an RBI and an Run scored.
  • Joe Plise (0-2) takes the loss for UCCS as Matthew Wilson (1-0) gets the win for the Cowboys.

HOW IT HAPPENED | Game Two
  • The Mountain Lions kept the trend of scoring first going in the first inning of game three, this time putting up three runs in the opening half inning. Mikey Brinton earned his way on with a single to left to lead off, with Iverson throwing out a base hit after Bryce Peterson struck out looking. This cleared the stage for Dillon Vroman to blast a homer to left, plating all three runs for UCCS. James Harbison followed with a double but was picked off, as Caleb Chance flew out to end the inning.
  • The top of the second inning is when the Mountain Lions really did damage, as they brought in six runs. Tyler Genrich walked to start the push, with Vander Hodges grounding into a double play, 4-6-3. Having two outs and the bases now empty didn't discourage UCCS, as Tyler Buchman, Mikey Brinton, and Bryce Peterson then went walk, double, double to plate the first two runs. Iverson kept things going with a single to bring Peterson home from second, with Vroman and Harbison both reaching on errors to put two more on base for UCCS. The free bases would set up Caleb Chance and Tyler Genrich to bring in an RBI each on their singles to bring in the fifth and sixth runs of the inning. After a pitching change, Hodges would roll over to second and end the inning.
  • The Cowboys got on the board in the home half of the inning with a walk and two singles, to bring home their first run of the game.
  • In the third, UCCS got started with a one out walk from Mikey Brinton before an error moved him up to scoring position. Bryce Peterson then singled to center and moved to second on a mishandle in the outfield, as Brinton came home on the play to bring the score to 9-1. Two batters later Dillon Vroman tripled to plate Peterson, with Vroman scoring on a wild pitch during the next batter. As UCCS returned to the field for the fourth, the held the 11-1 lead.
  • In the home half of the fourth, singles from Drew Perez, Lubby Marrujo, Bryant O'Neil, and Forrest Simpson produced three runs for the Cowboys, as the cut down the UCCS lead to seven at 11-4.
  • In the sixth, three straight walks were issued to Tyler Genrich, Vander Hodges, and Evan Steinberger to load the bases. Mikey Brinton grounded out to score Genrich, with Nolan Oliver singling to score Hodges and Steinberger, as Quinn Medin and Vroman were both retired to strand Oliver with the score sitting at 14-4.
  • UCCS added three runs in the seventh as insurance, highlighted by a double down the line from Mikey Brinton to score two, with UCCS headed to the final three outs with a 17-4 lead.
  • The Cowboys went quietly in the bottom half, as UCCS secured the 17-4 game three victory.

GAME STATISTICS | Game Two
  • Mikey Brinton stayed hot going 3-5 with two doubles, 4 RBIs, 3 runs scored.
  • Dillon Vroman enjoyed a 2-5 day with a double and a triple 4 RBIs, and 3 runs scored.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
  • The Mountain Lions turn their second ever triple play in the fifth inning of game one. Doing so for the second time in as many games.
  • New Mexico Highlands picks up their first RMAC victory in game one after losing nine straight to start the RMAC schedule.

UP NEXT
  • The Mountain Lions and Cowboys wrap up the series tomorrow at 12 p.m.
 
SOCIAL
Twitter - @GoMountainLions
Instagram - @gomountainlions
Facebook – /GoMountainLions
 
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.
 
 
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