GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – A trio of Colorado Mesa pitchers limited the visiting Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks to just four hits in a 3-1 win in the series opener on Thursday afternoon at Suplizio Field.
 
Sophomore Andrew Morris got the start on the mound for the third-ranked Mavericks (6-1) and pitched into the seventh inning. Morris ran into trouble in the second inning when he hit the leadoff batter then walked three batters in the inning, allowing the lone run for the Nighthawks (1-4) without giving up a hit.
 
The young righty then settled in as he went on to throw six and two-thirds, allowing just the one run on three hits, walked four and struck out a season-high nine batters.
 
He handed the ball to his bullpen to finish the game off and they did just that. Anthony Durbano pitched an inning and a third allowing just a walk while striking out one before giving way to Garrett Tisdall who pitched the ninth and allowed one hit while striking out two to pick up his second save of the season.
 
The Maverick used the long ball to score two of their three runs. Haydn McGeary hit a solo home run in the bottom half of the first to put them on the board. McGeary's home run went over the wall in right center and was his fourth of the season.
 
Junior Spencer Bramwell continued his hot hitting in the bottom of the fourth inning. Bramwell, the NCBWA National Player of the Week, belted his sixth home run of the season, a solo shot that reached high into the bleachers in left field to make it 2-1 at the time.
 
McGeary had a RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning that scored Tyler Parker who doubled just before him in the inning to give the Mavericks an insurance run. The sophomore finished the game with three hits.
 
The two teams will continue the series tomorrow with a pair of games beginning at noon.