Sports Reporter
Photo by: Kenny Coles
ksparkhu@mavs.coloradomesa.edu
CMU’s baseball team didn’t have much to play for heading into the final regular season series this weekend against Colorado School of Mines. Having already clinched the RMAC, as well as securing a spot in the national tournament, the Mavericks could’ve rested starters and taken it easy.
However, the Mavericks tore through a four-game series sweep of the Orediggers, racking up 39 runs while only allowing six. The games were decided 16-3, 7-0, 12-0 and 4-3.
“It’s a testament to our team and of our character,” senior Colton Little said. “We got great teammates and we all bond. We’re just tough, tough in every category.”
Justin Rosales lit up the stat sheet in game one, totaling five hits with four RBI while hitting his fifth homer of the season. Tamatoa Demello added three hits and was a home run short of completing a cycle.
Senior Nolan Snell picked up the win on the hill, and moved into a first-place tie for wins in a Maverick uniform.
The night’s second game was held down by strong pitching from Matt Williams, who did not yield a baserunner until the fifth inning. Williams allowed two hits and a walk, with eight K’s.
Colton Little and Kevin Mitchell each went yard for the Mavericks and helped the Mavs secure a 7-0 victory over the Orediggers.
Game three was much of the same as the Mavericks flexed their offensive muscles, putting up 12 runs in their fifth shutout of the season. 10 of the 12 runs scored came in the first two innings and they pounded out 14 hits, four of which were for extra bases.
Mitchell had another strong performance, increasing his home run count to a team-leading 10 on the season, which is also second in the RMAC.
The story of the game, however, was the pitching from starter Joey Danner, who threw six shutout innings. A trio of Maverick relievers — Tyler Dunnington, Matt Allen and Dustin Roberts — finished off the game and held the shutout in check.
The Mavericks found themselves down 3-0 in the finale, and Orediggers’ pitcher Christian Rooney had pitched five innings of perfect baseball. However, after a walk and a double, Jake Kluge stepped up to the plate.
Kluge waited on the pitch and blasted the game-tying, three-run shot over the center-right field wall. The teams then headed into extra innings where senior Erik Kozel entered the batter’s box in the bottom of the eighth.
“He (the Mines pitcher) threw a change up, and I was just trying to stay inside the ball,” Kozel said. “The change up stayed up and I kept my hands inside, and the ball went out.”
Kozel belted the home run ball deep over left field and the Mavericks rushed the plate to celebrate the final game of the regular season.
The wins this weekend pushed the Mavericks over the 40-win mark for the second time since 2009. They finished the regular season at 41-7 overall, and 35-3 in RMAC play.
The Mavericks received the No. 1 seed in the RMAC tournament, which will be hosted at Suplizio Field this week starting Wednesday night.
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