DENVER, Colo. – Metropolitan State University of Denver Baseball survives a late push from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs with the Roadrunners claiming the opening game of the weekend series by a 10-8 final score.
INSIDE THE MATCH-UP
- Final: UCCS 8, MSUD 10
- Records: UCCS (22-17, 11-11 RMAC) | MSUD (25-17, 17-7 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Assembly Athletic Complex Baseball Diamond | Denver, Colo.
- All-Time Series: UCCS is 11-22 all-time against the Roadrunners.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Mountain Lions crossed the plate to start the scoring in the second inning, with Caleb Chance throwing out a double to left, with Evan Steinberger returning a pitch up the middle for the RBI single two batters later.
- The Roadrunners tied the game on their first at bat in the bottom of the second as Andrew Graham launched a leadoff homer to center. The damage, and big flies, didn't stop there as Royce Vandine blasted a solo shot of his own two batters after Graham's game tying trot. Ryder Mancuso would hold the Roadrunners quiet the rest of the way as MSUD entered the third with the 2-1 advantage.
- The Mountain Lions got back to work in the batter's box to start the third, with Mikey Brinton reaching on a hit by pitch, with Kit Wigington poking a single through the left side to put runners on first and second with one out for Hayden Iverson. Iverson walked to load the bases. James Harbison followed with a sacrifice fly to bring home Brinton, with Caleb Chance adding two RBIs with a bases clearing single on the ensuing at bat, to give UCCS the 4-2 lead. Caleb Stubbings' two out single put two on with two out for the second time in the inning, but Evan Steinberger would be unable to convert as he went down on strikes.
- Cam Yuran made his way to first on a one-out plunk, setting up Easton Amundson for a two-run yard ball to restore the Roadrunners to even with UCCS at 4 runs a side.
- The fifth inning was the defining frame of the contest, with the Mountain Lions going quietly in the top half, with MSU Denver exploding for five runs in the inning. After a leadoff strikeout, Nick Miszuk began to struggle to hit the zone effectively as Amundson singled then moved to second on a wild pitch, with Vandine walking behind him. Enter Gavin Schmeh who kept the home runs flying as he blasted a three run homer inside the foul pole in right, giving MSU Denver the 7-4 lead. The UCCS pitching staff would continue to struggle with Joshua Zotto replacing Miszuk with two outs and runners on first and second. A wild pitch moved both runners in scoring position with Jesse Velders loading the bases after earning a walk. Cam Yuran then worsened the damage with a double to right, scoring two and improving the lead to five at 9-4 for the Roadrunners.
- Royce Vandine added his second home run of the game in the sixth, pushing the lead to six for the hosts.
- Nick Vilims made a brief relief appearance in the seventh for MSU Denver, as he hit Mikey Brinton to put the lead off base runner on, following with two induced ground balls that each produced an out to put a runner on second with two outs. Hayden Iverson and James Harbison both walked on back-to-back plate appearances, with Caleb Chance doing the same with the bases full to force in Bryce Peterson with UCCS' fifth run. Noah Marks would relieve Vilims and get Caleb Stubbings to pop out, as UCCS stranded three with only one run scored.
- The Mountain Lions continued to chip away in the eighth with three singles from Trevor Dale, Bryce Peterson, and Kit Wigington producing a sixth run for UCCS, with the Mountain Lions cutting the lead to four at 10-6.
- The Mountain Lions would send the Roadrunners down in order after a lead off walk to Gavin Schmeh, as UCCS had three outs to score four runs entering the ninth.
- UCCS got started quickly in the ninth, with James Harbison doubling down the right field line, with Caleb Stubbings blasting a one out home run to cut the deficit in half after just three batters in the ninth. With UCCS then down 10-8, Nolan Oliver went down swinging for the second out seeing Kasey Campbell pinch hit a single to third to bring the tying run to the plate. That winning run was represented by Quinn Medin who single to right to put runners on first and second with the winning run at the plate in Bryce Peterson. Much to the Mountain Lions dismay, Peterson couldn't get it done as he went down swinging, as MSUD hangs on to win 10-8.
GAME STATISTICS
- The Mountain Lions and Roadrunners combined for six home runs in game one, with MSU Denver blasting five of the six in the contest.
- All eight UCCS runs were scored by different players.
- Kit Wigington (2-5), Caleb Chance (3-4), and Caleb Stubbings (2-5) turned in multi-hit performances for UCCS.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Bryce Peterson's three strikeouts in the game ties three teammates for the most in a game this season.
- UCCS' five home runs allowed ties for the most allowed in a game for the season (vs CMU 4/12).
- UCCS' 11 walks allowed is the most in a game this season.
UP NEXT
- UCCS and MSU Denver continue the four-game series tomorrow, with first pitch in the Mile High City scheduled for 1 p.m. in Denver.
SOCIAL
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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.
