COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs baseball team rides their red hot offense to a series sweep over #23 MSU Denver.
INSIDE THE MATCH UP
- Final Score Game One: UCCS 20 , #25 MSUD 7 | Game Two: UCCS: 17 | #25 MSUD 16
- Records: UCCS (10-7, 0-0 RMAC) | MSUD (9-5, 0-0 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Mountain Lion Park | Colorado Springs, Colo.
- All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions hold a 14-25 record all time vs MSU Denver.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- The Roadrunners would take the lead in the top of the first thanks to a series of unfortunate events for the Mountain Lions. MSU Denver led off with a hot-shot single that deflected off of Ryder Mancuso on the mound, with the visitors also earning a double which Tyson Mayberry lost in the sun in left field to bring in the first run. After the Roadrunners swiped third, a ground out to second would further the damage to two runs in the opening half inning.
- The Roadrunners would add a run in the third, stringing a single, hit batsman, followed by another single together to manufacture a 3-0 lead.
- Tyler Genrich go UCCS going with a towering solo shot to left to begin the UCCS third inning, cutting the lead to two. UCCS wasn't done, as Ruben Velasco, and Quinn Medin were both plunked to set up a Tyson Mayberry no-doubt shot to right center giving UCCS the 4-3 lead.
- The Roadrunners would combine a double, and triple to tie the game in the fourth, but UCCS responded right back in the bottom of the inning. Cayden Gonzalez (single), and Tyler Genrich (walk) both reached to start the frame, with Ethan Steer reaching on an error after what was supposed to be a sacrifice bunt, allowing Gonzalez to score. A wild pitch then brought Genrich home, with Steer making his way to third on the gaff. Nolan Oliver would sacrifice Steer home five batters later, as UCCS finished with four runs on two hits and an error in the fourth to push the lead to 8-4.
- UCCS would outscore the Roadrunners 12-3 over the last three frames, as the Mountain Lion offense took over, winning the middle match up by run rule 20-7 in seven and secure the series.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME ONE
- Benjamin Ruckman (2-0) gets the win on his outing, as Brayden McCollough (2-1) takes his first loss of the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions would strike first in game two after getting cleanly through the defensive half of the inning. Matthew Shipley got things started reaching on an error but was cut down trying to swipe second on the next at bat. Ruben Velasco would pick him up, however, singling to left on the next at bat. Bryce Peterson would put himself and Velasco in scoring position with a double into the right field corner, with Brendan Killeen earning the sacrifice fly to right to bring in the run. UCCS would strand Peterson at third, but still took the 1-0 lead to the second.
- The Mountain Lions added to their lead in the bottom of the second and it was several firsts for UCCS newcomers in the process. Tyler Buchman singled to left to get the inning started, before Angel Rios earned his first collegiate hit with a single to right to put runners on the corners. Rios would be caught stealing at second, but Braden Thompson kept the line moving with his first collegiate big fly, leaving the yard to left. The pair would be all for UCCS in the inning, now leading 3-0.
- Brayden Oram would provide a spark for MSU Denver to start the third, driving a triple into the right field corner, coming into score on Brooks Rasmussen's single on the following plate appearance to cut the lead to two, 3-1. Marques Abulhosn followed with a walk to put two on with no outs, but Jacob Brown responded with two straight punchouts. Noah Wicks stopped that streak in a big way, however, sending the third pitch he saw out to right-center to give MSU Denver the 4-3 lead. The damage would continue, as the next four hitters would all reach, three by way of double, to add another three runs to make it 7-3, ending Jacob Brown's day early as he would give way to Christian Klehr. A throwing error would add another MSU Denver run, as the visitors tacked on eight runs on seven hits with one error in the frame to take the commanding 8-3 lead.
- The Mountain Lions would respond right away, continuing their strong offensive start to the game as they returned to the plate in the third. UCCS went single, walk, single to start the third, bringing in their first run of the game, with Angel Rios continuing his stellar debut with a two-out double to bring in another pair. The trio of runs pulled UCCS back within two, as play headed to the fourth at 8-6 MSU Denver.
- The next scoring would go the Mountain Lions way in the bottom of the fourth inning, with Ryan Kelly doubling, then coming into score on a throwing error from the catcher as he attempted to swipe third. The unearned run was the only tally of the frame, with UCCS now just one run down 8-7.
- The Mountain Lions would give two runs back in the top of the fifth inning, as a slew of walks forced in the first run, with a sacrifice fly brining in the final run, as MSU Denver pushed the lead back to three, 10-7 through four and a half.
- The Mountain Lions would regain the lead in the bottom half of the frame, as UCCS went walk, hit batsman, sac bunt to put runners on second and third with one out. Braden Thompson then reached on a high chopper to third to bring in the first run for UCCS, setting the stage for James Harbison who pinch hit and left the yard to deep right to put UCCS ahead 11-10 with a clutch pinch-hit bomb. Ruben Velasco would single home Quinn Medin who followed the homer with a double, as UCCS headed to the sixth up 12-10.
- MSU Denver threatened for runs in the away half of the sixth, getting the tying run to second base, but would come up empty. After allowing two, one-out baserunners, Joe McDermott got two fly outs to right, including a highlight reel diving grab by Brenden Killeen to end the inning scoreless.
- UCCS wasted no time adding to their lead with Killeen, this time on offense, legging out a single to lead off, coming around to score on Robert Vandegrift's double to right center on the next at bat to push the lead to three. James Harbison would reach on a error with the bases loaded three batters later, allowing two more Mountain Lions to score, leading to a sacrifice fly, and a wild pitch to bring the final two Mountain Lion runs of the game home, and push the lead to 17-10 for UCCS headed to the seventh.
- The Roadrunners gave UCCS a run for their money in the seventh, as Mason Hartle came on and gave up five runs, before he was replace by Josh Zotto after just two thirds of an inning. Zotto would allow another Roadrunner in to score, but would provide the final punchout to Abulhosn to seal it, giving UCCS the 17-16 win and secure the series sweep.
GAME STATISTICS | GAME TWO
- James Harbison provided the spark, launching a pinch-hit three-run homer in the fifth to give UCCS the lead.
- Joe McDermott (1-0) gets the win for UCCS, as Carter Swan (1-2) takes the loss for MSUD.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Game two saw Angel Rios notch his first career single, double, and RBI. Braden Thompson also left the yard for the first time in his career in the nightcap.
- This is the first time UCCS has ever swept MSU Denver, and the first series win over the Roadrunners since April 2019.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions are back in action on Tuesday in Denver when they take on Regis University, first pitch is set for 2 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.
