GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — It took 11 unanswered runs to get it done, but the Colorado Mesa baseball team completed a doubleheader sweep Saturday of Colorado Christian at The Diamond at Bus Bergman Sports Complex.
The Mavericks (17-8, 10-1 RMAC) fell behind CCU (6-22, 3-8) 6-3 in the first game before putting up 11 runs over the fifth and sixth innings for a 14-6 win, then rode a seven-run fourth inning in the second game for a 12-2 victory, securing the series win.
A three-run double helped the Cougars take the lead in the fifth inning of the opening game, but CMU responded with a six-spot in the bottom half, with Cameron Cartwright getting two runs home on a double, then the Mavs tacked on five runs in the sixth.
A grand slam by Declan Wiesner highlighted that inning and Jordan Ellison (1-0), the fourth CMU pitcher used, retired the Cougars in the seventh.
Ellison threw 2 2/3 hitless, scoreless innings of relief, striking out three. The only batter to reach against him came on an error. Liam Hohestein started out strong, allowing one base runner in the first, but then gave up back-to-back home runs to lead off the second and cut CMU's lead to 3-2. He got out of a bases-loaded jam, but the Mavs went to the bullpen in the third.
Tyler Glowacki and Cayden Clark worked the middle innings, with Clark allowing four runs before Ellison came out of the bullpen.
Cartwright went 2 for 4 and drove in 5 runs, Wiesner had a 5-RBI game and Paul Schoenfeld, Stevenson Reynolds and Cartwright all scored three times. The Mavericks scored 14 runs on eight hits, taking advantage of three CCU errors and seven walks.
In the second game, the Mavericks responded after single runs in the first and third innings by CCU tied the game at 2-2.
A three-run single to the gap in right-center by Christos Stefanos put the Mavs back on top, 5-2, in the bottom of the third, and CMU put up seven runs in the fourth to put the game out of reach.
Max Valdez drove in a pair of runs with a double, Schoenfeld lifted a sacrifice fly, Stefanos doubled home another run and Cartwright had an RBI double. Ethan Ezor delivered a two-run single up the middle to put CMU up 12-2.
Starter Ethan Voss (4-2) allowed two runs on six hits and struck out three through 4 2/3 innings, and three relievers closed it out.
Stefanos had four RBI, every starter scored at least one run and all but one starter hit safely in the Mavericks' 13-hit attack.
In the series, the Mavericks have outscored CCU 44-10, with 31 hits, 12 for extra bases, including five home runs, two of which were grand slams.
The Mavericks will look to sweep the series with one 9-inning game starting at noon Sunday at The Diamond. CMU then heads out on the road next weekend for a four-game series at Colorado School of Mines, followed by a nonconference game on April 1 at Utah Valley.
