Maverick baseball has been able to avoid the series sweep since 2011. That was until a trip to Chico, California saw Colorado Mesa University (CMU) drop all three games to the Chico State (CSU-C) Wildcats.

Despite the sweep as a blemish on their record, all three losses were close, including a game that took an extra frame to complete.

“I think our guys competed very well. We faced a very good, regional caliber team, who really wanted to beat us. And you know, we took them to the wire in two games, 10 innings and two one run ball games,” said head coach Chris Hanks.

In game one of the three game slate at CSU-C, early game defensive struggles combined with stranding runners on base hurt CMU, as they couldn’t recover from a 6-1 deficit after four innings of play.

Senior right handed pitcher Ethan Voss was the man on the bump for the first 3.2 innings of competition, giving up six of the seven CSU-C runs. Run number seven wasn’t conceded until the sixth inning, with freshman right handed pitcher Jett Walker on the mound, but the run wasn’t earned, as the score reached base on an error.

“So you know, when you look at that and you look back on the games that come down to one hit, one error, one little thing that you know may have occurred during a game that prevents you from winning,” said Hanks

Game two was filled with late game dramatics, as the afternoon half of the doubleheader saw extra innings. CMU was able to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first, courtesy of sophomore infielder Joey Blank’s sacrifice bunt and by a junior outfielder Cameron Cartwright ground ball.

Senior left hander Caleb Ruter started pitching, giving up two runs in the bottom of the second. CMU would regain the upper hand in the third, when junior outfielder Kolby Felix would come across courtesy of a bases loaded walk.

No other runs would come home until a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh tied things up, and the teams remained knotted at three until the 10th inning.

In the top half of the extra frame, senior catcher Declan Weisner hit a solo home run on a full count that the Mavericks thought would be the go-ahead jack. The Wildcats, however, had other plans. After allowing a one-out double, a wild pitch and a fielding error allowed two runs to come across, and the Mavs dropped their second of the series.

“I think they’re looking good. I think, yes, we had some mishandles, maybe some throwing errors, maybe some little errors here and there, but I think we look great. We’ve been focusing especially as infielders, making sure we don’t miss any ball, just trying to stay dialed in.,” said Blank. The nightcap was another one run heartbreaker, as a throwing error in the fifth allowed the Wildcats to send a run across, and CMU wouldn’t reach the base paths again in their final two innings of offense.

Junior right handed pitcher Liam Hohenstein started pitching, and shoved 4.2 innings, dealing six strikeouts and only one walk. Of the three runs, only two were earned.

“It’s early on and the past is the past right now. I’m just gonna keep looking forward. When you start thinking about things that have already happened, you get into a little spiral. Get out of control, and I think we have a great ball club right now, and we’re gonna take care of business as it keeps going,” said Hohenstein.

The last time the Mavericks were swept was in 2011 was against now Division I University of California San Diego.

In an important bounce back series at Northwest Nazarene (NNU), CMU battled to a split, winning both games on day one, but falling in both on the second day of doubleheaders.

In the first game of the series, an offensive explosion propelled the Mavericks over the Nighthawks, as they won 6-2. In both the fifth and sixth innings, 2 runs came across, including senior infielder Josh Romans hitting an inside the park home run. Ethan Voss went six innings, allowing just one run on eight hits, walking two and striking out three.

“I think we’re definitely going to be one of those teams this year who their defense is like, you put a ball on the ground, the defense is making that play. You have to hit it past them,” said Blank.

In game two, CMU staged a comeback, as they fell behind by four after the third inning. Redshirt senior Ethan Ezor hit a single up the middle in the fifth to drive home CMU’s fifth run, and the Mavs didn’t look back.

In the second day of doubleheaders, the Mavs couldn’t replicate their first day success, losing in 5-7 and 4-5 decisions. In both games, the Nighthawks used four-plus run innings to blow by the Mavs.

Sitting at 4-6, CMU is ready for a home series after three straight weeks on the road, including their 2025 leadoff dinner before their home opener.

“We have amazing young men in our program. And what I’d like to see is the city of Grand Junction, which is known as a baseball town, embrace the local teams. The university, even the high schools, to somewhat the level that they get excited about the Junior College World Series,” said Hanks.

The Mavericks will begin home play tomorrow, Feb. 27. First pitch is at 1 p.m., against the Montana State University – Billings Yellowjackets. Against the Yellowjackets last year, CMU went 3-1.