Getting off to a great start in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play can go a long way when trying to seal the regular season title down the line.
As one of the hottest teams in Division II, Colorado Mesa University baseball accomplished the strong start with a two-game sweep on Saturday against Regis University.
The first game ended with a 10-6 victory while the second had a similar score deficit in a 7-3 win for the Mavericks.
Chase Hamilton started the scoring with a double through the right side that scored Josh Shapiro, who reached on a fielder’s choice. After Hunter Douglas walked, Tanner Garner laced a single through the right side that brought home Hamilton.
JR McDermott continued his resurgent season with another solid outing. The right-hander picked up his third win of the season with 6 ⅔ innings of three-run ball. McDermott struck out 7 and allowed eight hits.
McDermott’s earned run average now sits at 1.46. The senior has struck out 27 in 24 ⅔ innings with just four walks. He’s spun his opponents into the dirt with his devastating breaking stuff and is leading the staff of a Maverick team that looks to be one of the best in Division II.
CMU kept the train moving in the third inning with a trio of runs to push their lead to 5-0. Shapiro singled home Dominic DeMarco. One batter later, Hamilton registered his second and third RBIs of the game with a two-run double to left. After Hamilton stole third, Douglas hit an RBI single to shortstop Logan Hefleblower.
McDermott found a bit of trouble in the fifth after three hits in the inning, which included an RBI double from Connor Rochon that made the score 7-3. The senior from Smoky Hill settled down however and retired five of the last seven batters he faced before getting pulled in the seventh.
Shapiro added two more runs in the eighth with a two-run single. Shapiro and Hamilton combined for five hits and six RBIs in the first game.
CMU freshman Andrew Morris pitched a clean eighth inning. Only Garrett Tisdall was rocked from the CMU pen. He gave up a three-run shot to Coby Zimmerman in the ninth.
Game two featured another pitching highlight from the Mesa side.
Garrett Hutson moved to 2-0 with a quality start, complete game performance. He pitched seven innings and gave up three runs on six hits and struck out four.
Regis scored two in the first after Rochon hit an RBI double and later scored on a sac pop up. Hutson limited the Rangers to just three hits over his final six innings of work
The right-hander has been a fine complement in the No. 2 spot in the rotation to McDermott’s ace status. He’s struck out 31 in 23 ⅓ innings and has displayed great command with just two walks allowed.
The Mavericks rocked Regis starter Colin King for six runs on seven hits. Five of those runs came in the second inning.
CMU went through nine batters in the frame. Catcher Tyler Sandoval doubled home Hunter McGeary who started the inning with a double of his own. After a walk and single and the bases loaded, Caleb Farmer roped a double to right center that pushed CMU’s lead to 5-2.
McGeary was having fun as the leadoff batter of an inning. The No. 4 hitter launched a solo home run to left center off King. The designated hitter finished the game 3 for 4.
Third baseman Spencer Bramwell provided CMU’s final run of the contest with an RBI double to left center in the fifth.
The Mavericks outhit the Rangers 26 to 17 on the day.
