GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The top-ranked Colorado Mesa baseball team won their 24
th overall and their fourth straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament Championship after a 20-11 win over the fifth-seeded Colorado School of Mines Orediggers on Saturday (May 9) evening at The Diamond at Hamilton Ballpark.
Colorado School of Mines built a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning but never led after the third inning.
The Mavericks exploded for 10 runs in the top of the sixth inning and never looked back. The inning included three bases loaded walks, a
Rocco DiFrancesco bases clearing double, and a
Joey Blank solo home run that led the inning off.
Colorado Mesa added some insurance in the ninth inning with a
Landon Nunes two-run moon shot to right field and a two-run single to right field for
Rocco DiFrancesco.
Rocco DiFrancesco finished the game 3-for-6 with two runs scored and seven runs driven in.
RMAC All-Tournament Team member
Jackson Lapiner homered in the top of the third inning. He sent a 3-2 pitch over the fence, and scoreboard, in left center field with Trackman data having the home run go 461 feet.
Lapiner finished the game 1-for-4 with four runs scored.
Seven pitchers wound up pitching for the Mavericks with
Cole Seward earning his second start of the tournament.
Cayden Clark earned the win in relief to move his record to 5-0 on the season. The Tooele, Utah native allowed one run on one hit, walked one and struck out two in an inning and two-thirds of work.
Senior Brendon Morris recorded the final out of the tournament via a strike out looking.
Colorado Mesa improved its record to 49-5 on the season with the 4-1 record on the week.
The Mavericks earned the RMAC's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament and are likely the No. 1 seed in the South Central Regional. The tournament field will be announced tomorrow night at 8pm on NCAA.com.
RMAC All-Tournament Team
Kolby Felix, Colorado Mesa (MVP)
Joey Blank, Colorado Mesa
Rafael Espinoza, Colorado Mesa
Tate Blasi, Colorado Mesa
Jackson Lapiner, Colorado Mesa
Alex Honeyman, Colorado School of Mines
Evan Bilter, Colorado School of Mines
Alex Dunagan, Colorado School of Mines
Brayden Oram, MSU Denver
Tyler Genrich, UCCS
