FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Saturday, February 11, 2017 Mines capitalizes on miscues, completes sweep of Yellowjackets Saturday
Colorado Mines makes the most of four defensive errors by MSUB, scoring seven unearned runs in a 9-5 win that gives the Oreddiggers a three-game sweep of the Yellowjackets to start the season. GOLDEN, Colo. – Seven of Colorado School of Mines’ nine runs scored on Saturday were unearned, as the Orediggers made mistakes by the Montana State University Billings baseball team count in a 9-5 loss for the Yellowjackets at Jim Darden Field. MSUB starter Matt Hape threw well in his 2017 debut, but endured a five-run third inning in which none of the runs scored were earned. The Orediggers scored three more in the fourth – two of which were unearned – and built a lead at 8-2 that they never relinquished. “I thought we pitched pretty well today, and all of our pitchers came in and threw strikes,” said MSUB head coach Aaron Sutton, alluding to his pitching staff issuing just two walks in the game. “We just gave Mines too many extra outs, and they made us pay. Offensively we competed a lot better, and we had a few chances to get back into the game.”
Hape wound up allowing five runs on four hits with one walk in three innings pitched. MSUB committed four errors behind its pitchers however, while Mines had just one miscue and all five of the Yellowjackets’ runs were earned. The Yellowjackets scored a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth to stay within striking distance, but Mines’ bullpen finished the game strong. Nathan Smythe earned his first save of the season, allowing just one hit over the final three innings. Starter A. J. Valerio struck out five and walked none while allowing two runs in four innings, and Owen Pigati earned the win allowing three runs on four hits in two innings. Landon Peterson led MSUB offensively, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, an RBI, and a run scored while making his first-career start at third base. Junior catcher Kade Hall was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, and senior Casey Merritt was the other Yellowjacket with multiple hits at 2for-5 in the ballgame. The ‘Jackets drew just two walks against the efficient Mines pitching staff, and left eight runners on base in the game. Trouble brewed in the third when a one-out throwing error by Peterson gave Mines a chance to extend the inning. Though Hape retired the next Matt Dillon drove in a run with a double in the fourth batter on a fly out, a pair of singles and a walk plated the host’s first run inning on Saturday. and set the table for power hitter Cody Marvel. The senior delivered a three-run home run over the fence in left, capping off a momentum-changing rally. Matt Dillon got a run back for MSUB with an RBI-double in the top of the fourth, but the ‘Jackets fell into an even bigger hole with two more mishaps in the bottom of the frame. Mines capitalized on a pair of throwing errors for two runs, after Joe Popp brought home John Howard with an RBI-single. Hall had an RBI-single in the fifth, and Peterson and shortstop Max Hartgraves each drove in a run in a two-run sixth inning to make it 9-5. The ‘Jackets ran out of gas at the plate however, and didn’t have a solution for Smythe the rest of the game. Senior Bryon Baker was equally effective out of the bullpen for MSUB, tossing 2 2/3 perfect innings with two strikeouts in his first appearance of the year. Marvel was the lone Mines player to drive in multiple runs, and Jace Selsor led the team with a pair of hits. CSM started the season a perfect 3-0, while the ‘Jackets dropped to 0-3 after their first series of the year. THE BUZZ: Baker was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Jake Tallman made his first career start at second base…Tristan Shockley, Josh Harrington, and Garrett Helfrich each made their career debuts on the mound… NEXT WEEK: Nonconference play continues for the Yellowjackets, who travel to Grand Junction, Colo., to challenge Colorado Mesa University in a four-game series. The teams will play single games on Feb. 17 and Feb. 19, with a
doubleheader sandwiched in between on Feb. 18. Live statistics only will be available throughout the series, online through www.msubsports.com. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--