CHICO, Calif. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team drops both games of the doubleheader vs California State University, Chico on Friday evening.
INSIDE THE MATCH UP
- Final Score: Game One: UCCS 7, CHICO 8 (10 Inn.) | Game Two: UCCS 3, CHICO 10
- Records: UCCS (7-5, 0-0 RMAC) | CHICO (7-6, 0-0 CCAA)
- Facility | Location: Nettleton Stadium | Chico, Calif.
- All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions and Wildcats met for the first time ever this evening.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions struck first in the opening game, taking advantage of several Wildcat mistakes to jump in front in the second inning. Trevor Dale got things started in the frame with an infield single before swiping second two pitches later. Tyson Mayberry would reach with a walk, setting up Tyler Buchman to reach on a bunt to load the bases with no outs. After an infield fly, the Wildcats went quickly to the bullpen, but the move wouldn't pay off as Tyler Genrich reached on an error by the shortstop to score all three runs, moving up to third himself as it also squirted by the left fielder. Quinn Medin followed with a hit by pitch then move up to second by stealing, but the throw was errant, allowing Genrich home from third. Two batters later, Bryce Peterson kept the line moving with an RBI double, with Nolan Oliver singling Peterson in as well. Dale returned to the plate and ended the inning with a fielder's choice, but UCCS was way out in front scoring six runs on four hits with four errors helping them along.
- UCCS gave the Wildcats a run back in the third as Jason Fink would plunk the leadoff hitter, with a wild pitch and a passed ball allowing the Wildcat to third. A one out single would bring in the Chico run, but UCCS was still up 6-1 despite the tally.
- The Chico half of the fourth is when things began to come undone for UCCS, with a Robert Vandegrift error with two outs proving costly, as three runs would score after the miscue. Fink would earn the final out by way of flyout, but the Wildcats cut the lead to 6-4 thanks to the three unearned in the frame.
- Both teams would come and go quietly until the bottom of the sixth, when Chico came back to tie the score at six. An error at first would allow the leadoff runner aboard for the Wildcats, who came into score two batters later on a single to center field. UCCS would earn an out at home plate to limit the damage, but a two out single would negate the effort on the next at bat, bringing in the tying run to knot the game at 6-6.
- UCCS eked out the next run in the top of the ninth, thanks to a dropped fly ball in left field that allowed Brendan Killeen to score, but couldn't make it stick as a walk, wild pitch, error combination allowed Chico to tie it at 7-7 in the bottom of the ninth.
- UCCS went in order in the tenth, as Chico earned the leadoff single, followed by a walk to put two on with no outs in the bottom of the frame. UCCS would not be able to overcome the early traffic in the extra frame, with Chico bringing the run in on a sacrifice fly to left to end it 8-7 in ten.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME ONE
- Bryce Peterson and Tyler Buchman enjoyed multi-hit performances in game one of the doubleheader, with both also coming in as a run.
- Jason Fink had a solid outing despite the no decision, throwing five innings with only one earned run (4 total runs), walking just two and punching out five.
- Mason Hartle (3-1) takes his first loss of the season after picking up three wins in his first three appearances, as Jakob Poole (3-0) picks up the win in relief for Chico State.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The Wildcats struck early and often in game two as they strung together eight runs on eight hits and one error over the first three innings of action in the nightcap. Contrary to the RMAC norm, the ball stayed in the park during the action with Chico only earning two extra base hits during the eight run push to start the game.
- UCCS would break their ice in the top of the fourth with Nolan Oliver and Trevor Dale going single, double with one out to bring in the first UCCS run, but Chico responded by adding two more in the bottom of the inning by way of RBI triple, error to push the lead to 10-1.
- The Mountain Lions would manufacture single runs in both the fifth and sixth, but that would be all as they fell 10-3 to drop both games of the doubleheader in Chico.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME TWO
- Trevor Dale and Benjamin Pailes both slashed doubles in game two, the only extra base hits for UCCS in the game.
- Pailes and Tyson Mayberry were the only Mountain Lions to reach base more than once, with Pailes earning a single and a double, as Mayberry had a single and a walk.
- Gerrit Erickson (2-2) suffers the loss against his old club, as Jack Tews (2-0) stays perfect on his young season.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Jason Fink has fanned five or more batters in three of his four starts so far this season.
- Despite not leaving the yard today Trevor Dale still sits atop Division II with nine homers already on the year. James Harbison (5) sits in a tie for fifth in DII.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions and Wildcats wrap up the series tomorrow with a doubleheader that begins at 1 p.m. MST.
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.
