GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Adams State's historic season came to a close Friday night with an 11-4 loss to Colorado Mesa in the RMAC Tournament semifinals. The Grizzlies finished the year 19-35 overall, going 2-2 in the tournament.
Adams State struck first, as Christian Altamirano singled to right center to score Josiah Hall in the top of the second inning. Colorado Mesa responded with a seven-run outburst in the bottom half and never looked back.
Altamirano added a two-run single in the fifth, and Phil Carter followed with a solo home run later in the inning, but the Mavericks' offense proved too much to overcome. The Grizzlies ultimately fell 11-4, capping a memorable postseason run.
Senior pitcher Cesar Loma took the loss on the mound but closed his career as Adams State's all-time leader in innings pitched (202.0) and strikeouts (184).
Carter, also a senior, capped his career by setting a new Adams State single-season home run record with 18, surpassing the previous mark of 15 set by current head coach Michael Bathauer during both his freshman and senior seasons.
The Grizzlies made program history with their first postseason tournament win since the program's reinstatement 12 years ago, defeating UCCS 6-4 on Thursday. They then avenged an earlier tournament loss to Regis with a 5-1 victory to advance to the semifinals.
Though Adams State will lose 16 seniors next season, the program is poised for continued success with a strong group of returning players who made their mark this year. Freshman left fielder Josiah Hall, named RMAC Freshman Player of the Year, led the Grizzlies with a remarkable .414 batting average, 16 home runs, 67 hits, and 55 RBIs. Christian Altamirano, a standout at first base, finished the season with a .356 average, 37 RBIs, and 62 hits, while also excelling defensively with 237 putouts on 258 chances and a .969 fielding percentage. Honorable Mention third baseman Seth Reker will return after posting a solid .272 batting average, 6 home runs, and 28 RBIs, along with a .946 fielding percentage. RMAC Co-Freshman Pitcher of the Year Joseph Marek will also be back next season following a strong freshman campaign, where he posted a 9.60 ERA and finished with a 4-3 record over 11 appearances and 8 starts.
With a promising group of returning players, including Freshman Player of the Year Josiah Hall and Co-Freshman Pitcher of the Year Joseph Marek, Adams State is poised to build on this season's success. The Grizzlies' future looks bright as they look ahead to what will surely be an exciting 2026 season.
