CHICO, Calif. – The No. 9 Colorado Mesa baseball team dropped a pair of heart breaking one run games as the Mavericks were swept in the double header by Chico State in Saturday's (Feb. 15) doubleheader at Nettleton Stadium.
In game on of the day, Chico State claimed the extra inning victory 5-4 after plating two runs in the bottom of the tenth inning. The Wildcats scored their first run on an error and followed it with a two-out single to left field to force in the winning run.
The Mavericks took the lead in the tenth on
Declan Wiesner's first big fly of the season. Wiesner sent a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left field that gave the Mavericks a 4-3 lead at the time. The Maverick backstop finished the game 2-for-5.
Colorado Mesa took the lead from the outset plating two runs in the first without the ball leaving the infield. They scored a run on a sacrifice bunt that turned into an error on the pitcher that brought a run in while the next came on a bases loaded double play.
After the Wildcats knotted the game at 2-2, the Mavericks regained the lead on a bases loaded walk by
Stevenson Reynolds that forced in a run.
Chico State tied the game in the seventh which wound up forcing the game into extras.
Cayden Clark took the tough luck loss after pitching two and a third innings out of the bullpen. Clark relieved
Jordan Pace who pitched four innings of relief allowing one run on four hits striking put two.
In the nightcap and series finale, the Mavericks came out on the wrong end of a 3-2 contest in the seven-inning finale. They scored two runs on five hits and committed two errors in the game.
Christos Stefanos drove in the Mavericks first run on an RBI groundout to third that brought in
Paul Schoenfeld in the first inning.
Colorado Mesa's second run came in the third on an RBI single by
Joey Blank that brought in
Kolby Felix. Blank was the lone Maverick with multiple hits in the game.
Liam Hohenstein took the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, walked one and struck out six in four and two-thirds innings of work.
Gauge Lockhart pitched the final inning and struck out the side in his first appearance of the season.
The series sweep is the first time the Mavericks have been swept since the 2011 seasons opening series against UC San Diego in Southern California.
Colorado Mesa will continue their road ways next weekend as they head to Nampa, Idaho for a four-game series with the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks. The series is scheduled to begin on Thursday at 1pm from Elmore Vail Field.
