If you’re going to clinch an eighth straight regular-season title, you might as well do it at home.
For fans at Suplizio Field Thursday night, they were treated with just that after Colorado Mesa University’s 9-6 victory over Dixie State University helped clinch the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title.
The title adds another to the Mavericks extensive collection. It’s the 26th RMAC title in program history, and CMU accomplished the feat with three regular-season games left.
The No. 1 Mavericks are starting to catch fire at the perfect time. Thursday’s victory marks their six straight win, five against potential RMAC tournament opponents. The bats made sure to give freshman Andrew Morris plenty of run support in the early going.
After a leadoff walk to Hunter Douglas, Caleb Farmer laced a two-out single to right field to jump ahead 1-0. The top of the Mavericks lineup has been an on-base machine with several hitters starting rallies during the win streak.
CMU regained the lead in the second after Douglas poked an RBI single to right field and it was one of a few comebacks CMU pulled off during the game.
Morris came into the contest with four-straight quality starts under his belt but was hit early against the Trailblazers. Kaid Urban hit an RBI triple in the second, and Jake Engel powered a two-run home run over the right-center fence to help Dixie capture a 5-3 lead.
Talented pitchers find ways to limit the opposition to keep their team in the game, and Morris pitched scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth to give CMU time to mount a comeback.
Farmer was at it again in the third, this time with an RBI triple. Three batters later, another two-out hit, this time by Spencer Bramwell, brought home Farmer. An inning later, Dominic DeMarco launched a two-run home run down the right-field line, one of his favorite places to hit a baseball out at Suplizio.
After an RBI single by Bryce Feist chased Morris from the game, Ryan Overboe came in and shut the door over 2 ⅓ innings. He pitched a clean 1-2-3 seventh and worked around a Maverick error in the eighth.
Bullpen stalwart Will Dixon came in for Overboe with two outs in the eighth and struck out Feist to keep CMU’s 7-6 lead intact.
Jordan Stubbings and Conrad Villafuerte added insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI triple and RBI groundout, giving Dixon more than enough room to secure his ninth save of the season with a perfect 1-2-3 ninth.
Both starters struggled in early in the game, but Morris outlasted Dixie starter, Preston Hannay. Hannay, who lasted three innings Thursday night, endured the same amount in an earlier season meeting against CMU, but this time he allowed five runs on six hits and two walks.
Morris struck out seven against one walk. He allowed six runs on nine hits but pitched competitively to keep the Mavericks within striking distance.
With the regular season title sealed, CMU will host the RMAC Tournament at Suplizio. The Mavericks are 19-2 at home this season and will head into the weekend as the No. 1 seed as they play for their sixth straight RMAC championship.
