GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The No. 15 Colorado Mesa baseball team used the big inning in their favor as they took down the visiting Montana State Billings Yellow Jackets 19-8 on Thursday (Mar. 2) afternoon at The Diamond at the Bus Bergman Sports Complex.
 
The 19 runs that the Mavericks plated was the second most runs they have scored in a game this year and they accomplished that by scoring in every inning and using the big inning to their advantage. They scored 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on just four hits as they benefitted from three walks and three hit by pitches in the frame.
 
Freshman second baseman Kennedy Hara delivered the big blow in the big fourth inning. With the bases loaded, Hara sent his first collegiate home run over the wall in right center field near the scoreboard for a grand slam and a 13-2 lead in the game.
 
Colorado Mesa hit three home runs in the game. Along with Hara, Julian Boyd hit his second home run of the season with an oppo taco to left field in the second inning while Harrison Rodgers hit his second of the season as well, a two-run shot that short hopped the softball field beyond the right field wall.
 
Rodgers finished the game 4-for-5 with four runs scored and three runs driven in.
 
Freshman Liam Hohenstein got the start on the mound and pitched well in his first collegiate start. He allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits, walked one and struck out five in four innings of work.
 
He gave way to Jordan Ellison in the fifth who also wound up with the win and moved to 2-0 on the season.
 
Colorado Mesa and Montana State Billings will continue their series tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at noon.