LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Jake Druce's sacrifice fly in the tenth inning scored Zach McLeod and broke a 0-0 tie with Colorado Christian in a 2-0 win for Colorado Mesa on Friday afternoon in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener for both teams.
 
Colorado Mesa scored their second run on a safety squeeze by JJ Carr that scored James Young III with Carr making it all the way around to third on a pair of errors on the play.
 
Colorado Christian had a golden opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the ninth inning when they had runners on second and third with one out. Maverick reliever Tyler Ehlers got a pair of strikeouts to end the threat.
 
The Mavericks had opportunities early in the game but couldn't cash in. They stranded runners on third in the fourth and seventh innings but limited the Cougars to just six baserunners in the ten innings.
 
Colorado Mesa started JR McDermott in game one for the third straight week and he didn't disappoint once again. McDermott went eight shutout innings and allowed two hits, a walk while striking out six in the no decision.
 
After giving up a leadoff single in the first inning, McDermott retired the next 17 batters he faced until a two-out walk in the sixth inning.
 
Ehlers earned the win and moved his record to 2-0.
 
James Young III and McLeod had four of the Mavericks six hits in the game.
 
Colorado Mesa is now 9-3 on the season and 1-0 in the RMAC while the Cougars fall to 5-9 on the season and 0-1 in the RMAC.
 
The Mavericks and Cougars will play a pair of seven-inning games tomorrow beginning at 12:00pm at All-Star Park in Lakewood.