Lakewood, Colorado — In a Saturday doubleheader, the Adams State Grizzlies and Colorado Christian Cougars split the two games by scores of 6-5 and 8-6. The split brings the series to a 2-1 advance for the Cougars, and the Grizzlies go to a record of 8-17(4-3 RMAC).

Colorado Christian 6, Adams State 5

In game one of the doubleheader, the Grizzlies were able to jump out to a quick 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, opening up the scoring for both teams. Seth Reker started the scoring with a bases-clearing double to left field, scoring Josiah Hall, Phil Carter, and Christian Altamirano. Reker's double was then followed by another double by Chris Gracia down the right field line, scoring another run and giving the Grizzlies their early 4-0 lead.

Unfortunately for the Grizzly offense, they were held quite for most of the rest of the game only scratching across one more run in the fifth inning. Reker was able to come up clutch again for the Grizzly offense, recording an RBI single that scored Josiah Hall. The single gave Adams State a 5-2 lead that was short-lived once the Cougars came to bat in the fifth inning, where they were able to tie the game with two homeruns.

Looking at the highlights for the offense today, Josiah Hall and Seth Reker truly led the way as the pair collected 6 of the 7 Grizzly hits. Hall really was unstoppable in Game one as he went 4-4 with 3 doubles and 2 runs in the game, while Reker went 2-4 with a double, 4 RBIs, and a run scored.

On the mound for the Grizzlies, Brian Walters started the game, going 4 ⅓ innings while allowing 8 hits and 5 runs, walking 3, and collecting zero strikeouts. Walters was cruising today until the fifth inning rolled around when the Cougars' bats got hot, and he surrendered two homeruns, which tied the game at a score of 5-5. Hagel-Pitt hit the first home run for the Cougars and was later followed by another home run by teammate Hinze who hit the game-tying 2-run shot.

Phil Carter collected the loss for the Grizzlies after he surrendered a solo home run to Brassil in the bottom of the sixth inning. This puts Carter at 1-4 in the season. In the game, Carter threw 1 ⅔ innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 run, walking zero, and striking out zero.

Adams State 8, Colorado Christian 6

In game 2 of the doubleheader the Grizzlies were forced to make a comeback after the Cougars were able to jump out to a quick lead in the bottom of the first inning. Colorado Christian was able to take a quick 2-0 lead on an error by second baseman Chris Gracia. The Cougars were later able to add one more run in the third inning after Maydon hit an RBI double to left center.

Although the Cougar offense jumped out quickly, the Grizzly offense was able to respond very quickly with 3 of their runs in the fourth inning. The scoring was started by Josh Parks, who hit a solo home run for his second of the year to right center. This home run was followed up by another home run by Phil Carter, who tied the game as he hit a 2-run home run also to right center, scoring Josiah Hall along with himself. The Grizzlies were able to continue their scoring in the following inning, taking the lead for the first time in game two after Parks recorded an RBI on a groundout to the SS. This RBI was then followed by another 2-run home run by Hall, who continued his amazing day by giving the Grizzlies a 6-3 lead in the fifth.

Once Connor Murray, who started the game for the Grizzlies, had the lead in the fifth inning, he never gave it back. Murray was able to hold the Cougar bats until he passed the torch to Tyler Addington, the Grizzly closer who closed out the game for his third save of the year.

Looking closer at Murray's stat line, he finished with 6 innings, 8 hits allowed, 6 runs(3 earned), 2 walks, and zero strikeouts. Murray was able to throw very well throughout today's game but ran into some trouble as the Grizzlies committed 4 errors behind him, which allowed more runs to score against him than should have been. Murray only allowed one extra-base hit on the day and was overall very sharp in today's win, which gives him 2 on the year, and makes him 2-4 on the season.

Going to Addington, he was extremely sharp as usual, as he went 1,2,3 in the ninth while recording 2 strikeouts. Addington only needed 9 pitches to close the door on the Cougars, making quick work and giving the Grizzlies an opportunity to split the series with Colorado Christian going into Sunday's final game of the series. 

Looking Forward

Looking towards tomorrow, the Grizzlies will again play at All-Star Park against Colorado Christian in the series finale of their four-game series. The final game will be played at noon MST and will determine whether or not the Grizzlies can salvage a series split after dropping the first two games and taking game three today.