GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— Jed Brummett, Sergio Pelayo and James Steinke all registered hat-tricks while Pelayo and Steinke finished with five offensive points as the Colorado Mesa University Mavericks clinched at least a share of their fifth Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men's lacrosse title with a convincing 18-5 Senior Day win over visiting Adams State University on Sunday here at Community Hospital Unity Field.
 
The Mavericks led 11-1 at the half and then scored all six goals of the fourth quarter to run away with the victory, their seventh straight overall. 
 
With the win, the Mavericks improved to 12-3 overall and to 5-0 in the RMAC, good for a one game lead over the Westminster College Griffins (8-3, 4-1 RMAC) in the RMAC standings.
 
The Mavs will visit Westminster, which won 20-13 at CSU Pueblo on Sunday, next Saturday (Apr. 30) at 11 a.m. in Salt Lake City and can claim the outright RMAC title with a victory in the regular season finale for both teams.
 
The Mavs or Griffins will then host the RMAC Tournament on May 6-7.  The Mavericks would earn that right with a victory or a 1 or 2-goal defeat.  Westminster would earn hosting rights with a victory by three or more goals.
 
In Sunday's game, Dawson Balabanoff had a hat-trick for the Grizzlies (1-7, 0-5 RMAC), who are still winless in 26 all-time meetings against the Mavericks.
 
The Mavericks out-shot the Grizzlies 23-2 in the first quarter and 40-6 in the first half as they build a commanding 11-1 lead.  The Grizzlies then won the third-quarter, 3-1 and scored four of the first five second half goals before the Mavericks rattled off the final six to cruise to the victory.
 
The Mavs finished with a 65-20 advantage in total shots and won 17 of the game's 26 face-offs, including each of the first nine.
 
Prior to the game, nine CMU players and assistant coach Flynn Ernst were recognized in Senior Day festivities.  All nine of the players then got the start along with freshman Calvin Doucette in net as 44 Mavericks, including four goalies, saw action in the 13-goal victory.
 
Blame Amiatu was one of the Mavericks recognized and finished the game with a career-high two goals.   Fifth-year senior Anthony Boutwell also scored his first career goal to cap the scoring with 36 seconds to go while Trent Pernell had two goals and an assist in his final regular season home game.  Carson Schwark also had a goal and three assists in his Senior Day contest moving to within just three of becoming the sixth Maverick in program history to reach 100 career points.
 
Meanwhile, graduate student Jake Brummett was 13-for-17 on face-offs and scooped up eight ground balls to lead the Mavericks to a 49-26 advantage in that category.  Tanner Stopkoski also had five ground balls and four caused turnovers in his Senior Day game.
 
Duncan Cross, Jake Keyes and Shane Starbuck were also recognized before the game.  Cross had two shots, a ground ball and caused turnover while Keyes registered an assist and ground ball.  Starbuck also had a ground ball.
 
Caden Hathaway also had a solid defensive game with four ground balls and three caused turnovers.
 
AJ Switzer, Drew Eickelman and Braden Lowe also scored for the Mavs at the offensive end.