Jason Richardson/Criterion

Matt Meyer
Sports Reporter

The Mesa State baseball team (19-10, 14-7 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) snagged a series split with Nebraska-Kearney over the weekend, competing in everything from an offensive showcase to finishing on both sides of two close games.
The Mavericks opened the weekend with every hitting coach’s greatest dream and every fielding coach’s worst nightmare. The Mavericks fell 24-18, but the two teams combined for 42 hits and nine errors.
“In the games we lost we just beat ourselves,” first baseman Chase Moore said. “We made too many mistakes.”
The hitting started right away. After falling behind 3-0 after the top of the first inning, the Mavericks answered quickly, knocking in six runs aided by a three-run home run by Brain Bello and two errors by the UNK defense.
The Maverick defense suffered from woes of their own. The team surrendered four runs in the top of the second, but only two of those runs were earned.
“It feels like forever when you’re on the field (in a high scoring game),” Moore said. “It’s tough because you have to focus.”
The Mavericks were unable to recover from the deficit surrendering eight runs in the top of the eighth and scoring six runs in the bottom of the frame.
Bello led the offense for the Mavericks, going 2-4 with a home run and four RBIs.
The bullpen had a busy night for the Mavericks, with seven pitchers seeing time on the rubber. Starter Scott Bachman (3-3) suffered the loss, giving up seven earned runs on eight hits over 1 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out one.
Mesa State notched a win in Saturday’s second game thanks to lively bats and a stellar pitching performance from Chris Shea.
“In the games we won we didn’t commit mistakes,” Moore said. “We also had top performances from our (pitching) starters.”
The Mavericks took the lead early, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first, and never surrendered the lead after the first frame. After lining into a double play, the Mavericks started a two out rally. Marty Rover scored two runners with a single to left field. Rover advanced to second on a wild pitch and was knocked in on a double up the line by Ken Evanson. Art Flores capped the rally with a two-run home run.
Shea (5-2) was rewarded with the win, scattering three runs on four hits over 6 innings with five strikeouts and three walks. Jack Amidei notched his third save of the year.
The Mavericks used the bottom of the eighth inning to secure the win in the first of the twin-billing Saturday. Tied at 4-4, Brett Nigbur opened the frame with a shallow single and was quickly advanced to second base on a bunt. Evanson scored Nigbur on a hit to right field, but Evanson was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double.
Amidei came on for his second consecutive save and closed the door, allowing no hits in the final frame. Starting pitcher Kyle Davis, who has the lowest ERA among pitchers in the RMAC logging 30+ innings, received a no decision. T.J. Stastny picked up the win in relief, his first decision on the year, allowing one hit and no runs over 2 1/3 innings while striking out one and walking one.
Nigbur headed the Maverick offense, going 2-4 with two RBIs and a home run. Nigbur also scored the winning run.
“There weren’t really a whole lot of stand-outs this weekend,” Moore said. “It was just a good team performance.”
Mesa State was on the other end of a close game, falling 9-8 in the final game of the series. UNK stifled the Mavericks attempts at a late game comeback. Trailing 9-6, a walk and back-to-back singles plated Evanson, opening the scoring for the Mavericks. With another single, the Mavericks loaded the bases, but just couldn’t get the job done. Back-to-back fly-outs hurt the Mavericks, with only the second fly ball deep enough to plate a run. With runners on first and third, Flores ended the Maverick run with a ground-out to the shortstop.
Dylan Evans (3-2) was handed the loss. He surrendered six runs, four of which were earned, on seven hits and struck out none while he walked two.
A balanced offense highlighted this game for the Mavericks, with 8 out of the 9 starters recording a hit.
The Mavericks are now second in the RMAC, and only four games behind #15 New Mexico Highlands.
“We’re just taking it one game at a time starting with (Colorado School of) Mines next weekend,” Moore said. “We can’t be worried about what Highlands is doing, we got to do what we do.”
The Mavericks kick off an eight game road trip, starting against Colorado School of Mines, this weekend.

jameyer@mesastate.edu