GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Tanner Nieslanik's bunt single in the bottom of the ninth scored Josh Shapiro from third to give the No. 8 Colorado Mesa baseball team an 8-7 win against Colorado Mines in the regular season finale at Suplizio Field.
 
With two outs in the inning, Andrew Contreras laced a double past the Ordigger first baseman to get the rally started. Josh Shapiro pinch ran and moved up on a wild pitch with pinch hitter JJ Carr at the plate. Carr walked and brought Nieslanik to the plate.
 
The junior squared and laid down a perfect bunt to the third base side. The Mines pitcher picked it up and threw off balance to the plate but was off target and wouldn't have been in time, giving the Mavericks the win.
 
Colorado Mesa built a 6-0 lead after two innings, thanks in large part to three home runs.
 
Bligh Madris hit a two-run home run to center in the first followed by a solo shot by Nieslanik to lead off the second. Later in the second, Kyle Serrano hit a two-run homer to left field.
 
Colorado Mines fought back and scored one in the fifth and four in the seventh before tying the game in the ninth with a pair of runs.
 
Serrano finished the game 2-for-5 with a two runs scored and two driven in while Madris was 2-for-4 with a run scored and two driven in.
 
Taylor Prokopis earned his first career start and didn't disappoint. Prokopis went six and a third innings and allowed three runs on four hits, walked two and struck out two but didn't factor into the decision.
 
Senior Tyler Day picked up the win and improved to 4-2 on the season.
 
Colorado Mesa is now 37-9 on the season and 29-3 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
 
The Mavericks will be on the road for the final week of the season when they travel to Denver to take on the MSU Denver Roadrunners.