Enjoying their third and fourth straight home series, Maverick baseball has jumped to a 18-8 (11-1 RMAC) record and earning the conference’s top spot.
In the early goings of this 14-2 tear, it was Maverick defense that did the heavy lifting, with their defense ranking first in the nation in double plays turned per game with 1.23 per contest. Their team ERA and fielding percentage also did great things for them, as they rank 14th and 25th nationally in those categories.
Lately, however, it’s been the Maverick bats that have done the talking. In their series against Colorado Christian University (CCU) and Colorado State University – Pueblo (CSU-P), they totalled 87 runs, while also being on both the winning and losing ends of pitchers’ duels.
Against CSU-P, the Mavericks won the series, going 3-1 over the four game stint. The lumber did the talking in both the opening and final game of the series, where the Mavs won 10-5 on Saturday and 13-8 in the weekday series finale.
“Our [hitting with runners in scoring position] has been good the last five or six games. That’s what we like. We didn’t get any of that at Chico State. We had plenty of opportunities to blow those games open, but we didn’t,” said head coach Chris Hanks.
In RMAC play, Colorado Mesa University (CMU) has been great at converting with runners on base. Despite some struggles in the early goings, the Mavs have scored 234 runs on 282 hits, good for .83 runs per hit, a mark near the top of the RMAC.
While the spring weather has seemingly defrosted Maverick bats, it’s also warmed up pitching, even more than before. The Maverick pitching staff currently leads the RMAC in ERA with a 3.89 mark, they also hold the top spot in walks allowed (84), doubles allowed (32), and opponent batting average (.241).
Following the series against New Mexico Highlands University, junior right handed pitcher Gauge Lockhardt earned RMAC pitcher of the week honors. He followed up those accolades with back to-back stellar performances against the CSU-P Thunderwolves and the CCU Cougars. Against the Thunderwolves, Lockhardt allowed just four hits, five runs and four walks while dishing out five strikeouts in his 5.1 innings on the bump. The following Friday night, he carried a no-hitter through 5.1 innings against the Cougars. He threw just 70 pitches, with 45 finding the strike zone.
“[Our defense] lets me just relax and let it eat. I’m really blessed to have a great set of guys behind and in front of me,” said Lockhardt.
Senior designated hitter Christos Stefanos was also on a tear the last two series, going a combined 13 for 29 with 12 RBIs. The importance of his big weekends, especially in the most recent series, can’t be understated. Junior outfielder Kolby Felix missed the CCU series , so some hits were tough to come by.
“We can put anybody out in the field or in the lineup, and we can put up runs like that all day long, no matter who’s in the lineup,” said Stefanos.
A massive star for CMU this weekend was junior outfielder Cameron Cartwright. Cartwright played for Felix, predominantly in right field defensively, and picked up as many of the offensive duties as any player.
He went a staggering 8-14 at the plate, with three home runs, 13 RBIs and was walked three times. For a Maverick team who’s been struggling to find their permanent starter in left field, Cartwright may have earned the nod.
“[This weekend] I tried to stay emotionless, just be calm in the box and get good pitches to hit. It gives a lot of confidence [to the pitchers] being able to keep runners at first, making sure the double play is still in order, and ultimately, not letting runners score,” said Cartwright.
Following nearly a month of play at home, the Mavericks will finally head back on the road this weekend, facing the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) Orediggers in a four game series in Golden, Colorado. Historically, the Mavericks fare well against the Orediggers, having a 118-20 record with them. CMU is currently on an 11 game win streak versus CSM, with their most recent loss coming in Golden back in 2022. When the Mavs are on the road, they’re 45-14 against the Orediggers.
“I think we’ll be ready. I’m really excited to see how we play on the road. We struggled the first couple of weeks, but we’ve been playing together and playing really well,” said Cartwright.
Following the four game stint, CMU will also face Division I Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah on Tuesday April 1 for a single game. The Mavs are 4-0 against UVU historically, but the teams haven’t met since 2004, five years before UVU became a Division I institution. After those five games, the Mavericks will descend upon The Diamond at the Bergman Sports Complex yet again, taking on the Adams State University Grizzlies. First pitch is slated for 3 pm on April 4.
