Baseball splits series with Colorado Christian, drops single game against CSU-Pueblo

Mines Baseball broke even with the Colorado Christian University Cougars Friday night, deciding the series as Sunday’s games ended up being cancelled due to snow. The Orediggers also met up with CSU-Pueblo Tuesday, dropping a 9-inning affair in a close contest.

Both Mines and CCU took turns pounding out the hits Friday afternoon. Mines struck first, scoring 11 runs as the pitching limited Colorado Christian to one run. CSM went to work right away in the top of the first, as Bobby Egeberg scored on a fielder’s choice after reaching on an error. Mines really broke it open in the second, as senior catcher Jordan Williams blasted a two-run homerun to left, freshman Parker Stevens singled, sophomore outfielder Rey Chevarria singled, Charlie Basil walked, and CCU’s second baseman made an error, allowing Stevens and Chevarria to score. William’s home run was his and Mines’ first of the season. Sophomore Evan Brown doubled CSM’s home run total in the fourth, another two-run shot. Mines would continue to pile it on, scoring a total of 11 runs, seven unearned as CCU committed four errors.
Freshman Christian Rooney continued his early success in picking up the win, allowing no earned runs on three hits and a walk while fanning three. CCU’s lone run came off an error in the third inning. Rooney holds the lowest ERA out of the starters from his 21 innings, a sleek 1.27. Eric Shannon and Michael Tanner closed out the final three innings, allowing no runs.

The second game of the doubleheader was the polar opposite. CCU shut out Mines’ batters, as they won 12-0. CSM’s lone hit was a Zach Bothwell bunt single in the third.

After giving up four earned runs, sophomore starter Matt Brown ended up being pegged with the loss. Blake Dunham then came in to relieve him and lasted one and a third innings as the Cougars scored five runs off of four hits. Junior Peter Herrin pitched a solid eighth inning, and freshman Tommy Rodgers gave up three runs to finish off the game. The errors would have a play in this game however, as only one of Dunham’s runs were earned and CSM ended up committing three errors in the game.

The Orediggers headed south on the road again as their game against the CSU-Pueblo Thunderwolves was moved from Golden to Pueblo due to too much snow at Jim Darden Field Tuesday. The pitching duel lasted until the fourth, when freshman Nate Olinger walked, advanced to third on a Williams single, and scored on an Egeberg groundout to second. Mines played small ball in the fifth to score another run, as Kyle Wallace scored on a groundout after walking as well.

The Wildcats would counter in the bottom of the sixth inning though, plating two runs against righty Ben Gilman. Gilman ended up being taken out for Dunham, but ended up with a decent line, throwing five innings with two runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out eight. Dunham would allow the tie-breaking run in the seventh, and the Mines bats could not answer back. The back end of the bullpen pitched a solid eighth and ninth, with Shannon, Tanner, and Olinger combining for two hits.



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