All season long in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), fans were treated to high scoring, drama filled games all season. The trend continued in the conference tournament, as teams across the conference combined for an eye-popping 48 total home runs in a chaotic week.
As high scoring as the tournament was, the Maverick pitching staff was stellar. The group led them across the championship-winning week, limiting teams offenses who had incredible success at the plate against other teams.
“Before we played our first game, I told Coach Vig our pitchers will win us this tournament. I think it’s safe to say that they did,” outfielder Julian Boyd said.
On day one, the Mavericks took a narrow 4-3 win against #6 seed Colorado Christian University. Early in the season when these two teams matched up, CMU won the series by a combined 52 runs. This time around in the postseason, the Mavericks only won by one run.
CCU came out with a chip on their soldier and was able to jump out to a three run lead in the first, but were held scoreless the rest of the game. After some timely hitting, the Mavericks took the lead in the sixth, and the Maverick bullpen preserved the one run lead for the win.
The CMU pitching staff carried the momentum into game two, leading the Mavs to a 4-2 win over #4 seed Colorado School of Mines. Kannon Handy and Anthony Durbana were dominant, as the two pitchers allowed two runs, on three hits through the nine innings.
After the pitching staff carried them through the first two games, the rest of the Mavericks came alive in game three. CMU matched up with nationally ranked Metro State University Denver, and exploded for a 20-10 win.
The co-RMAC player of the year Harrison Rodgers put on a show, as the shortstop hit two huge home runs to give him seven RBI’s on the day for the Mavs. Outfielder Conrad Villafuerte also had a great day at the plate, going 4/6 for five RBI’s of his own.
In the game, CMU had 21 hits, and five different Mavericks hit a home run. RMAC freshman pitcher of the year Liam Hohenstein got the start on the mound, and allowed two runs in five innings of work in another dominant performance for the Maverick pitching staff.
With a 45-9 record and a RMAC championship, CMU was rewarded with the #2 seed in the south-central region. As the #2 seed, CMU will host Saint Edwards vs Lubbock Christian, and will take on the winner Thursday, May 18. If the Mavs win the series, and top ranked Angelo State loses, CMU will also host the super-regionals, with a ticket to the NCAA DII World Series on the line.
