GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The No. 11 Colorado Mesa baseball team used a big first inning to claim an 11-5 win over the visiting Regis Rangers on Thursday (Apr. 14) afternoon at Bergman Baseball Field in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.
The Mavericks plated eight runs in the first inning thanks in large part to three straight walks and a hit batter. Late in the inning,
Johnny Carr delivered a two-run single that was followed by a
Harrison Rodgers three-run oppo-taco to make it 8-0 after one inning.
Rodgers finished the game 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three runs driven in along with two walks. The home run was his tenth of the season joining
Caleb Farmer and
Haydn McGeary in double digit home runs.
The Rangers chipped away at the lead, scoring four runs between the third and fourth innings to make it 8-4.
Chase Hamilton hit a RBI double to left center in the fifth to add some insurance to the lead. Later in the inning, Farmer hit a sac fly to score Rodgers from third for a little added cushion that made it 10-4.
Each team would score one more in the final three innings of play.
Johnny Carr laced a RBI single through the left side in the bottom of the eighth for the Mavericks final run. The senior finished the game 3-for-4 with three runs driven in.
Conrad Villafuerte and
Julian Boyd each finished with two hits.
Kannon Handy earned his sixth win of the season on the mound for Colorado Mesa. He didn't have his best stuff but pitched well enough to win and continually got better as the game went on.
Handy allowed traffic in the first four innings of the game but settled in to retire the final seven batters he faced in order. He went six innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits, walked three and struck out five on the afternoon.
Josh Danyliw picked up the rule book save after pitching the final five innings and allowing just the one run.
With the win, the Mavericks move their record to 25-8 on the season and 12-5 in the conference to reclaim the top spot in the conference standings. Regis falls to 21-17-1 on the year and 14-7 in the conference.
The two teams will be back at it again tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 1pm.
