GOLDEN, Colo. – Adams State Baseball dropped its series opening game to Colorado School of Mines of the road Friday afternoon, 22-3. The loss puts the Grizzlies at 6-21 overall and 3-10 in the RMAC.
Helping the Orediggers (16-8, 7-6 RMAC) secure the series opening win at home was a mid-game surge that saw them score 11 runs in the middle three innings. They scored at least one run from the third frame to the eighth.
Defense got the game started for both teams as the Grizzlies and Orediggers were scoreless going into the third inning. The Orediggers ended the scoreless setup with an explosion of four runs in the bottom of the third to lead 4-0. Back-to-back home runs in the third help the home team get out in front.
Mines pushed its lead to 10-0 in the fourth inning with the help of seven hits, two of which that were home runs. Also helping the Mines offense were a pair of Adams State errors that helped score four unearned runs.
A leadoff homer from the Orediggers made it 11-0 in the bottom of the sixth after working a 1-2-3 inning. The Grizzlies avoided the shutout thanks to a three-run shot from
Nico Nintze to right center that plated home
Erik Hildebrandt and
Dakota Solis in the top of the sixth.
The Orediggers got the three runs back in the bottom of the inning. Their second at bat was a two-run homer to left center. A double and back-to-back flyouts added the third run and gave the Orediggers a 14-3 edge.
A pair of doubles and singles added three more runs for Mines to push the score to 17-3 in the seventh inning. The home team then worked a quick top of the eighth and put up five runs on six hits and two Adams State errors to lead by 19. They ended the ninth with a 1-2-3 inning to secure the 22-3 win.
Hildebrandt had the most hits for Adams State with two on three at bats and scored a run. Nintze finished 1-4 with three RBI and a home run. Both
Logan Bistrup and
Patrick Huffaker knocked a hit in three plate appearances.
David Maldonado suffered the loss on the mound to move to 2-5. Both he and reliever
Dominic Lomeli had two strikeouts to lead the Grizzlies.
Derek Daly and Joe Popp led Mines as both players tallied four RBI and scored three runs, respectively. Daly went 3-5, while Popp was 3-6. Gabe Garvens also had four RBI to go along with two runs scored on 3-5 hitting. Mike Gangwish went a perfect 4-4 with three runs scored and two RBI. All four batters had a home run in the game as well. Drew Hill secured the win on the mound to improve to 3-2. He threw six complete innings and fanned nine batters in the win.
The Grizzlies and Orediggers will play a doubleheader Saturday afternoon in Golden. Both games will be seven innings contests and are set for 12 and 3 p.m. starts, respectively.
