The Mavericks clinched the regular season title for the ninth straight year in a 3-1 series win over the Thunderwolves.
Colorado Mesa University travelled down to Pueblo, Colo. this weekend as they went on the road one last time in the regular season. They started things off with a doubleheader friday afternoon.
After a three run first inning from Colorado State University- Pueblo (CSUP) the Mavericks knew it was go time and came up big in the third.
Senior outfielder Tyler Parker singled up middle with freshman infielder Harrison Rodgers in scoring position. Rodgers crossed home plate, putting a run up on the board for the Mavericks. Junior infielder Jordan Stubbings with one swing of the bat put the ball game in favor of CMU.
Stubbings had three runs batting in (RBI) from that one swing of the bat as Parker and junior outfielder Matt Turner were on base. Turner hit a solo home run of his own in the fifth inning putting his team up by two.
Stubbings found another RBI opportunity in the seventh as he reached on an error by CSUP third baseman Ty Lewis. Turner scored for the third time in game one on the play.
Continuing the hitting momentum that the Mavericks found in the final inning, junior catcher Spencer Bramwell singled allowing Stubbings to score. The Mavericks won game one of the day by a score of 7-3.
In game two, the Mavericks bats continued right where they left off thirty minutes earlier. Sophomore catcher Haydn McGeary hit a solo home run to right field to start things off early on. Rodgers came up in the second with a productive fly out that allowed Bramwell to score.
Stubbings finished game one crossing the plate twice with four RBIs. Turner did his part in game one by scoring three times on two hits.
CSUP knew they needed to jump on the Mavericks pitchers early and they did just that. Reggie Williams hit a rocket of a ground ball to second base which allowed Brandan Maher to score.
A wild fourth inning gave the Mavericks back the run they had just given up. Christian Slater was hit by a pitch allowing him to take his base, he then advanced to second on a passed ball.
Junior infielder Chase Hamilton then walked as Rodgers came back up to bat. A fielder’s choice allowed Rodgers to get to first and to advance Slater so he was 90 feet away from scoring but Hamiltion would be out at second. Slater then stole home to give CMU a 3-1 lead.
The Thunderwolves then singled up the middle to score a run from second.
The Mavericks responded with power as junior infielder Caleb Farmer and sophomore infielder Conrad Villafuerte both hit solo home runs.
With the tying run at the plate, Williams hit a two run home run to dead center field allowing Aiden Welch to score as well. The game was tied after five at five.
With McGeary up to the plate and two runners on the base paths, the Thunderwolves outfielders moved back as they knew that McGeary could hit a long ball. That is exactly what Mcgeary did on the first pitch he drove a ball to right field and out of Rawling Field giving the Mavericks a 8-5 lead.
CMU was in control of the game from there on out. Rodgers then doubled in the seventh allowing Slater and Bramwell to score. McGeary then scored Rodgers on a single to center.
The Mavericks won game two 12-6. McGeary ended game two with three hits and five RBIs. While, Rodgers had three RBIs
The CMU pitching staff continued to dominate even though they allowed eight earned runs in the first two games of the series.
Sophomore right handed pitcher Andrew Morris continues to be undefeated after he pitched another complete game this season. He was able to strikeout four and only allowed two walks on the night. He gave up nine hits which is the most he has given up all season.
In game two, the Mavericks looked to junior left handed pitcher Ryan Day as he ended up with the no decision against CSUP. Day went four and a third innings with four strikeouts, one walk given up, five earned runs and eight hits. Junior right handed pitcher Anthony Durbano found his fourth win of the season when he came in for relief.
Durbano through two and two third innings, had three strikeouts, one earned run and gave up four hits.
Another back and forth battle brought for late inning excitement as the Mavericks and Thunderwolves played under the lights Saturday night.
CMU started this one off with Turner’s second home run of the series. The run allowed Rodgers to score. Villafuerte doubled allowing McGeary to score.
CSUP then responded with three of their own in the first. CSUP continued their run as they scored four more making it a 3-7 game after two.
On a wild pitch from Jake Lombardelli, Villafuerte scored and Farmer was able to advance to third. He then scored on a balk by Lombardelli. Turner got a hold of a pitch in the fifth inning and drove another ball out of the ballpark.
Aiden Welch then scored on a wild pitch tying the game back up at eight.
Turner scored again but this time on a sacrifice fly to left field by Villafuerte. Sophomore outfielder Tanner Garner then reached base on an error by the third baseman and was able to advance to second. McGeary, Stubbings and Farmer all scored on the play as another error was made by the first baseman.
The Mavericks sealed their fate in the ninth as Villafuerte scored on a wild pitch ending the ball game with a 13-8 victory. With the win the mavericks clinched the conference title.
Senior right handed pitcher Trevin Reynolds got the start and only made it through five quality innings of work before handing the ball to junior left hander Austin Lorenz who got his second win of the season.
Reynolds was able to strike out eight batters before exiting the game but gave up eight runs, six of them earned. Lorenz only gave up three hits in his four innings pitched.
CMU looked to close out the series on Sunday afternoon but could not get in the correct rhythm off the bat.
Parker started things off with a solo home run to left field. After his home run it took CMU three more innings to put a single run on the board. Down 2-3, Rodgers came up in the fourth and was able to hit a sacrifice fly to right field allowing Villafuerte to score. Rodgers came up with another RBI the exact same way in the sixth.
Freshman infielder Ethan Ezor singled scoring senior outfielder Wacy Crenshaw tying the game at four.
A big seventh inning for CSUP doubled the Mavericks’ run total as CMU was now down 4-8.
With one last opportunity in the ninth and a 4-9 game on the line, Turner hit his fourth home run of the season allowing Ezor to score. That was not enough as the Mavericks faced their first loss after a 20 game win streak.
The Mavericks return back to Grand Junction, Colo. one last time in the regular season to compete in their final regular season series. CMU will also host the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament starting May 19.
