HISTORY WITH UT TYLER
The Mavericks and Patriots have met up just two times in the two programs history. Those two matchups occurred in the NCAA South Central Regional last year at Irwin Field in Tyler, Texas.

The Patriots took both games of the NCAA Regional last season, winning 10-4 and 14-4 in the regional championship. UT Tyler went on to Cary and won a game in the tournament.

Prior to their jump to NCAA Division II, UT Tyler won the 2018 NCAA Division III National Championship defeating Texas Lutheran 9-6 in the title game. That championship came in their final season of NCAA Division III play.

SCOUTING THE PATRIOTS
UT Tyler won their section of the NCAA South Central Regional as they defeated Angelo State two games to one in the best-of-three series. Both UT Tyler and Angelo State defeated RMAC foe MSU Denver on the first day of the regional.

Catcher Cole Ketzner has had an excellent season batting .362 with 15 doubles and 12 home runs. Connor Clark and Brock Bearden each have seven home runs.

Julio Garcia is the Patriots top pitcher at 8-3 with a 2.29 ERA in 66.2 innings pitched. Garcia pitched three innings against Angelo State in the regional with three strikeouts. Coleson Abel has four saves and 69 strikeouts as the closer. 

WHAT'S ON THE LINE
To answer the question, a lot is on the line this week for the Mavericks at The Diamond at Hamilton Ballpark. Two wins over No. 10 UT UT Tyler would send Colorado Mesa to the NCAA National Championships in Cary, N.C. for the first time since the 2019 season.

Two wins would also be a program best for wins in a season and get the Mavericks to 54 wins. The previous best came in 2019 when Colorado Mesa went 53-12 on their way to the NCAA National Runner-up finish. 

THE GREAT EIGHT
Colorado Mesa still has eight players on the roster from the last time the Mavericks were in the Super Regionals back in 2023.

Liam Hohenstein made a start in the NCAA Super Regional as a freshman against Angelo State in San Angelo. He took the loss in his start after pitching four innings.

Seward earned the opportunity to pitch in the 2022 Super Regionals at Angelo State during his freshman season. He earned the win in relief as he pitched the final inning and two-thirds of no-hit baseball. He was on the team during the 2023 NCAA Super Regional but did not pitch. 

Bridger Clontz pitched in NCAA Regional Tournament against St. Edward's but did not pitch in the Super Regional at Angelo State.

Aidan Biaggi, Brenden Morris, Kennedy Hara, Kolby Felix, and Rocco DiFrancesco were all on the team but did not see any action in the NCAA Tournament. 

BIG ON BIG
As Head Coach Chris Hanks put it in an interview this week, its 'Big on Big' in the NCAA Super Regional this weekend in Grand Junction. Both teams are near mirror images of themselves. Strong pressence at the plate and deep pitching staffs will be the highlight of the weekend.

The Mavericks finished in the top three of the top-3 offensive and pitching categories in the conference while the Patriots did the same in the Lone Star Conference.

Colorado Mesa is No. 1 in batting average (.360), No. 2 in on-base percentage (.474) and No. 3 in slugging percentage (.588) in NCAA Division II. 

UT Tyler is No. 3 in ERA (3.72) and No. 6 in WHIP (1.31) in NCAA Division II. 

THE MECCA OF BASEBALL
The town of Grand Junction, Colo. will turn into a Mecca of baseball this weekend as the NCAA Division II South Central Super Regional will be played at The Diamond at Hamilton Ballpark and the NJCAA Division I World Series will be played at Sam Suplizio Field beginning on Saturday.

Colorado Mesa University and the Grand Junction Baseball Committee have partnered on a ticketing plan for the two tournaments. If a patron buys a ticket to the Super Regional Tournament they will be allowed entrance into either Saturday or Sunday's game at the JUCO Tournament.

MAVERICKS IN MILB
The Colorado Mesa baseball team currently has seven players competing at some level of professional baseball. All seven finished in the minors with one of them seeing action in Major League Baseball during the 2025 season. Check out the full list of Colorado Mesa Baseball Alums and ways to follow along on their professional journey:

Bligh Madris (2015-18) // St. Louis Cardinals
Kyle Leahy (2016-18) // St. Louis Cardinals
Haydn McGeary (2019-22) // Chicago Cubs
Spencer Bramwell (2018-22) // Miami Marlins
Caleb Farmer (2018-22) // Washington Nationals
Andrew Morris (2019-21)  // Minnesota Twins
Andrew Pogue (2025) // Detroit Tigers

RMAC DOMINATION
Colorado Mesa won its 14th straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title this season and are hungry for another tournament title as well. The Mavericks have won 29 overall regular season titles and 23 tournament titles after winning their third straight last season.

Since 2009, Colorado Mesa has won 82 percent of their games against RMAC competition as they have a 539-111 record in that span prior to the season.

THE BEST AROUND
Two seasons ago, head coach Chris Hanks eclipsed the 1,000 win mark in his career. He is one of just 17 head coaches across NCAA Baseball that is over the 1,000 win mark and is fourth in wins in NCAA Division II of active head coaches.

Top-10 Division II Active Head Coaches by wins
1. John Schaly (Ashland) - 1,388-756 (39 seasons)
2. Greg Guilliams (Flagler) - 1,243-618 (36 seasons)
3. Jeff Messer (Slippery Rock) - 1,184-778 (40 seasons)
4. Chris Hanks (Colorado Mesa) - 1,163-433 (28 seasons)
5. Joe Urso (Tampa) - 1,106-305 (26 seasons)
6. Jim Gantt (Catawba) - 1,081-526 (30 seasons)
7. Greg Appleton (Columbus State) - 1,027-545 (29 seasons)
8. Tim Mead (Walsh) - 983-993 (42 seasons)
9. Paul O'Neil (UNC Pembroke) - 925-578 (30 seasons)
10. Jon Sjogren (Rollins) - 924-769 (36 seasons)

NCAA Active Head Coaches with 1,000 wins
1. John Schaly (Ashland) - 1,388
2. Dave Van Horn (Arkansas) - 1,340
3. Elliott Avent (NC State) - 1,327
4. Greg Guilliams (Flagler) - 1,243
5. Rich Hill (Hawaii) - 1,235
6. Jeff Messer (Slippery Rock) - 1,184
7. Chris Hanks (Colorado Mesa) - 1,163
8. Rick Heller (Iowa) - 1,106
9. Joe Urso (Tampa) - 1,106
10. Tim Corbin (Vanderbilt) - 1,102
11. Steve Owens (Rutgers) - 1,101
12. Mike Bianco (Ole Miss) - 1,085
13. Jim Gantt (Catawba) - 1,081
14. Rich Maloney (Ball State) - 1,049
15. Yogi Lutz (Alvernia) - 1,038
16. Jim Schlossnagle (Texas) - 1,030
17. Greg Appleton (Columbus State) - 1,027