AZUSA, Calif. – The No. 2 Colorado Mesa baseball team opened the season in grand fashion as they dismantled the No. 22 Azusa Pacific Cougars 28-4 on Thursday (Feb. 10) afternoon at Cougar Baseball Complex in the season opener for the Mavericks.
The Mavericks erupted for 25 hits with 10 of those going for extra bases including six home runs. 13 of the 16 Mavericks that appeared in the game reached base on a hit in the opener.
Colorado Mesa faced one of the top pitchers in the West Region in APU's AJ Woodall, an ABCA All-American last season. The Mavericks jumped out to a 6-3 lead heading into the fourth inning but a three-run home run by
Haydn McGeary followed by a
Conrad Villafuerte double chased Woodall from the game. The 2021 PacWest Pitcher of the year was eventually saddled with the loss after allowing 10 runs (nine earned) on 10 hits, walked three and struck out one.
One player that Woodall struggled to get out was second baseman
Harrison Rodgers. The sophomore hit three home runs during the game joining teammate
Spencer Bramwell who accomplished that feat during the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season against Southern New Hampshire.
The San Diego native's first home run was a solo shot to right center on a 2-2 pitch in the second inning while his second homer was a three-run shot to right field on an 0-1 pitch just an inning later in the third. His final home run of the game came in the sixth inning on an 0-2 pitch
Rodgers finished the game 4-for-4 with four runs scored and six runs driven in.
Caleb Farmer also had a multi home run game on Thursday.
Caleb Farmer hit the first of his two home runs of the seventh inning as the first runs of the 12-run inning for the Mavericks. His first a two-run blast to right center followed later in the inning by a grand slam later on in the seventh.
2021 National Player of the Year hit his first home run of the season in the fourth inning on an 0-1 pitch that he sent out to center field.
The Mavericks first three batters in the order,
Matthew Turner, Farmer and McGeary finished 10-for-14 with eight runs scored and 10 runs driven in.
Senior lefty
Ryan Day got plenty of run support in his first start of the year. Day allowed three runs, on seven hits, walked none and struck out six in five innings of work to earn his first win of the season.
Freshman
Kyle Miller was among a trio of relievers that made their first appearance of the year. Miller, a true freshman, pitched the ninth and final inning so of the game in his collegiate debut. He allowed just one hit and struck out two in his one inning of work.
The win helps atone for a loss in last season's opener where the Mavericks fell 18-6 to Northwest Nazarene at Suplizio Field. The last time the Mavericks were on the road for the season opener, they defeated No. 16 Nova Southeastern 8-7 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
The two teams will resume their series tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 3pm mountain.
