The Mavericks outscored the Roadrunners 21-8 throughout Saturday’s doubleheader.
Colorado Mesa University (CMU) faced a tough pitcher on the mound in Cade Crader in game one of the afternoon. Metro State University-Denver (MSUD) scored first in this one as they scored four in the first.
CMU responded in the second when the bats came alive after a scoreless first inning. Freshman infielder Jonathan Gonzalez got things started for the Mavericks as he doubled allowing senior infielder Blaine Demello, sophomore outfielder Tanner Garner and junior infielder Jordan Stubbings to all score.
With the Mavericks one swing away from tying the game up, Garner hit a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie it up at four.
Senior outfielder Wacy Crenshaw came into the game to pinch hit and doubled to right center and the game shifted in the Mavericks favor when Gonzalez scored.
The rest of the Mavericks runs came in the fifth inning. Junior catcher Spencer Bramwell started the fifth inning off by hitting a single to left field allowing redshirt junior Matt Cassin to score. Stubbings would advance to third on the play and eventually score later in the inning with a bases loaded walk to sophomore infielder Conrad Villafuerte.
Bramwell scored the eighth run for CMU as a wild pitch allowed him to make a run for it. Junior Johnny Carr singled to center field and two runners would touch home and made it 10-4. Cassin then singled to center on the first pitch he saw and Carr was able to score.
Stubbings walked up to the plate with two runners on for him and on the 1-0 pitch he was able to deliver a long home run to left field. CMU went on to beat MSUD in the first game 14-4.
CMU scored first in game two but ended up having to battle back for the win.
Sophomore designated hitter Haydn McGeary singled to right field to start things off and scored junior outfielder Matt Turner. Bramwell singled to right field as Stubbings touched home for the second run of the game for CMU.
MSUD took advantage of a fielding error by the Mavericks right fielder and Bill Ralston and Caleb Albaugh scored on the single from Cade Peters, while Nikko Piazza scored on the error.
Albuagh came through for the Roadrunners in the fourth extending their lead by hitting a single to right field when Colin Stone would score.
The Mavericks knew that they needed to respond quickly if they did not want to split the doubleheader with the Roadrunners. Turner struck out swinging on a 1-2 count but speedy Demello was able to steal home on the play. The play also put Garner in the scoring position for Stubbings.
Stubbings sat on a 1-0 count again and was able to drive the ball to left center field for his second home run of the afternoon. The Stubbings home run put CMU ahead by one making it a 5-4 game.
CMU was not done scoring yet. Farmer doubled to left center allowing Villafuerte to score. Senior outfielder Tyler Parker was able to get a sacrifice fly to left field that allowed Farmer to score from third.
CMU sent the left-handed junior, Ryan Day to the mound in the first game of the day. After giving up four runs in the first inning Day did not give up another run throughout his start.
Day improves to 5-0 on the season as he had five strikeouts, one walk, four earned runs and five hits through five innings.
Headed to the mound in the second game was senior right-handed pitcher Trevin Reynolds. Reynolds was only able to get through four and two thirds innings but had a solid start in the nightcap. Reynolds struck out five, walked four and gave up six hits. Only three of the four runs Reynolds gave up were earned.
The four relief pitchers CMU used in game two combined for two strikeouts, zero runs scored and only gave up two hits.
The Mavericks will compete against the Roadrunners one last time this weekend with the series finale starting at noon on April 11 in Grand Junction,Colo.
