GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The No. 23 Colorado Mesa baseball team completed the twilight doubleheader sweep of the Colorado Christian Cougars on Friday (Mar. 22) afternoon at The Diamond at the Bus Bergman Sports Complex.
In game one of the doubleheader, the Mavericks once again came back from a 6-1 deficit to win 17-7 over the Cougars. It is their fifth straight come-from-behind victory.
After trailing 6-1 heading into the bottom of the third inning, Colorado Mesa plated seven runs on four hits to take an 8-6 lead. The inning was highlighted by three home runs in the frame that started with a solo shot by
Ethan Nunez. Later, a three-run shot by
Braden Winget and Rob Sharrar closed out the scoring with a two-run homer to center field.
They would never surrender the lead again in the game as they tacked on three runs in the sixth and four runs in the eighth.
Sharrar kept his hot hitting going as he went 5-for-6 with three runs scored and three runs driven in. He fell just a double shy of completing the cycle but moved his average above .400 on the season.
Jonathan Gonzalez,
Kennedy Hara,
Braden Winget and
TJ Rheem all finished with multi-hit games.
Reigning RMAC Pitcher of the Week earned his second consecutive relief win as he allowed two runs on three hits, walked four and struck out three in five and two-thirds innings of work. He gave up a home run to the first batter he faced then didn't give up his second until the top of the sixth inning to move his record to 3-0 on the season.
In the nightcap, the Mavericks tied a program record with eight home runs in a game as they dispatched the Cougars by a score of 17-3 to sweep the day's doubleheader. With the win, Colorado Mesa ran their win streak to nine games.
The first 13 runs scored by the Mavericks all came from the long ball and started in the first inning as
Kolby Felix hit the first of three home runs in the game. He hit a two-run home run in the first, a solo shot in the third and another solo shot in the fourth inning.
Felix becomes the first Maverick since Spencer Bramwell hit three home runs in a game on April 22, 2022 when he accomplished the feat against New Mexico Highlands.
Felix wasn't the only Maverick with a multi-homer game as designated hitter
Christos Stefanos launched a pair of round trippers in the nightcap. He hit a solo home run in the second inning and a two-run shot to left center in the fourth inning.
Ethan Nunez,
Derek Shaver and
Jonathan Gonzalez all homered in the game as well.
The eight home runs in the game ties the program record which was also set on April 25, 2014 when the Mavericks hit eight home runs against Regis in Denver.
Cole Seward moved his record to 4-0 on the season after pitching five complete innings. He allowed one run on eight hits, walked two and struck out five in the win.
Something must have been in the air today as the Maverick bat and ball sports flirted with the long ball all day. The baseball team combined to hit 11 home runs in their two games today while their female counterparts in the softball team launched 15 home runs in their doubleheader sweep of Black Hills State in Thornton, Colo.
Colorado Mesa and Colorado Christian will complete their series with a doubleheader beginning at Noon tomorrow.
