GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Early offense and solid pitching led the No. 9 Colorado Mesa baseball team to a 4-1 win over the visiting Montana State Billings Yellowjackets on a chilly Thursday (Feb. 19) afternoon at The Diamond at Hamilton Ballpark. It was game one of a four-game series between two teams that played in the NCAA Tournament a season ago.
 
The Mavericks (7-2) scored all four of their runs in the first three innings of action. Cameron Cartwright doubled in Kolby Felix in the first inning while Felix singled home Rocco DiFrancesco in the second inning. Joey Blank drove in two in the third on a single and an error in the third inning.
 
Colorado Mesa had opportunities later in the game as they left six runners on after the third inning and 10 total runners left on base in the contest.
 
MSU Billings (6-6) had their best scoring opportunity in the top of the eighth inning. The Yellowjackets had the bases loaded and nobody out but Maverick reliever Justin Schramm got a strikeout then allowed a RBI single to make it 4-1.
 
The Mavericks brought in Brenden Morris with the bases loaded and just one out. Morris got the job done as he induced a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.
 
Sage Ferguson pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.
 
Liam Hohenstein got the start in game one of the series and pitched four innings of shutout baseball. He allowed two hits, walked four and struck out seven in 80 pitched but did not factor into the decision.
 
Schramm was fantastic in relief as he allowed just the one run in three and a third innings of relief. He scattered five hits and struck out three in the longest outing of his young career.
 
Kolby Felix led the offense going 3-for-5 and was the lone Maverick with a multi-hit game.
 
The two teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader at 12pm tomorrow at The Diamond at Hamilton Ballpark. Weather is scheduled to hit the area overnight so stay tuned to CMUMavericks.com for the latest updates.