PUEBLO, Colo. – The No. 4 Colorado Mesa baseball team scored nine runs in the second and four runs in the fifth to cruise to a 15-0 mercy rule victory against the CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves on Friday (Mar. 13) afternoon at Rawlings Field.
The game was delayed nearly five hours due to air quality in Pueblo from fires that are occurring in Nebraska. The second game of the doubleheader was moved to Runyan Field and began at 9:40pm local time.
The Mavericks scored nine runs in the second inning on six hits with just one extra base-hit in the inning. They benefitted from two errors in the inning which helped extend the at-bats for the visitors.
Tate Blasi's two run home run in the inning gave the Mavericks a 5-0 lead at the time. It was the second of the season for the Kansas native. Blasi finished the game 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two runs driven in during his return to the starting lineup.
Ezra Farmer also had a big hit in the inning as he delivered a two out, two run single to right center field that made the game 7-0 at the time.
At the conclusion of the second inning, Colorado Mesa had built a 10-0 lead.
The Mavericks also put up a crooked number in the fifth inning but got those four runs on only one hit.
Trevor Tse led the inning off with a single followed by two walks, two hit by pitches, an RBI groundout and a fielder's choice gave the Mavericks a 15-0 lead after five.
While the Mavericks were circling the bases,
Caleb Ruter wasn't allowing many baserunners for CSU Pueblo. Ruter (2-0) pitched a complete game shutout as he allowed five hits and struck out four in just 80 pitches.
Ruter retired the first eight batters he faced before a two-out, hit by pitch stopped the streak.
The Mavericks and ThunderWolves will conclude the series with a doubleheader beginning at 12:00pm tomorrow.
LATE NIGHT BRIEF:
The Mavericks won the back half of the doubleheader 9-1 to take the first two games of the series.
Cole Seward earned the win on the mound allowing one run on four hits, walked two and struck out three.
Ezra Farmer and
Joey Blank each homered in the game while Farmer,
Kolby Felix and
Kennedy Hara all had multiple hits in the win.