GOLDEN, Colo. – The Regis University baseball team (25-23, 18-17 RMAC) fell one run short 3-4 in game one, dropping game two of a doubleheader with the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers (28-20, 19-15 RMAC) 11-7 on Saturday afternoon.
 
Game One: In the second game of the four-game series with the Orediggers, Regis came out and put two runs on the board in the top of the first inning. The runs came about by way of a single from junior Garrett Skillings that scored senior Max Fabricant from second base. Two batters later, redshirt-sophomore Logan Heflebower smashed a ground-rule double that drove Skillings in to score.
 
Colorado Mines first got on the board in the bottom of the second with a fielder's choice that allowed a runner to score from third base. The Orediggers tied the game at two runs apiece when the leadoff batter in the bottom of the fourth inning sent a solo shot over the right field fence.
 
The Rangers struck for one more run in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead when senior Josh Newell doubled to left center field, bringing junior Zach Dedin in to score from third base.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, CSM had the bases loaded with two outs and the batter sent a shot into center field. Two runs scored and the Orediggers took their first lead of the game 4-3. The game would come to a close after the top half of the seventh inning as Colorado Mines was able to shut down the RU offense who had put two runners on base.

Game Notes: Freshman Cobe Karhoff (ND, 0-0) hurled a pretty solid game going 4.2 innings allowing only three hits and two earned runs on the day. He did not strike out any batters, but he also did not allow a single walk.  
 
Both Fabricant and Heflebower went 2-for-3 from the plate to lead Regis in the hitting department. Heflebower, Skillings and Newell each had one RBI each, while Dedin was the only other Rangers player to record a hit on the day. Through the first two games of the series, RU has recorded only 13 hits and five runs. On the flip side, CSM has registered eight runs on only 11 hits.
 
Game Two: The third game of the series, and the second of the day, was all Colorado Mines. The home team put together three big innings to sink Regis. After the Rangers scored two in the first inning with back-to-back homers from Newell and Skillings, the Orediggers put up a four spot in their half of the first. The most damage came on a three-run home run to left center field, putting CSM ahead 4-2 early.
 
The home squad added three more in the their next at-bats to take a commanding 7-2 lead after two full innings of play. RU managed to score one run in the top of the third when the Orediggers first baseman made a throwing error.
 
Trailing 3-7, Regis had something going in the top of the fourth as they loaded the bases with no outs. Senior Mike Potter hit a sacrifice fly to center field scoring junior Christian Bitar from third base to cut the lead to three runs, 4-7.
 
After a walk to Fabricant loading the bases once again, Newell sent a shot to left field that brought two runners in to score, bringing the Rangers within one run of CSM, 6-7. Two quick outs ended a very fruitful fourth inning for the visitors.
 
The Orediggers flexed their offensive power once again in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs on a single up the middle, followed by their second homer of the game, this time a two-run shot that extended their lead to five runs, 6-11.
 
Newell connected on his second solo home run of the game in the top of the sixth, but that was the last run RU would score on the day and the home team secured the 11-7 win. 
 
Game Notes: Redshirt-sophomore Matt Heibult (L, 4-6) picked up the loss in 1.2 innings of work. Senior Nick DiPaola came on in long relief pitching 3.1 innings allowing three runs on six hits and junior Jake Griffith pitched a perfect sixth inning, getting his opponents to go down 1-2-3.
 
Newell had a perfect second game going 4-for-4 from the plate with two home runs, two singles, four RBI's, and three runs scored. Freshman Kennedy Phillips, who took over the catching duties for junior Chris Kobar midway through the game, was also perfect in two trips to the plate connecting on a double and scoring one run in the effort. Regis had nine hits in the game while their opponents had 16. Each team committed an error, but CSM was victorious and now hold a 3-0 advantage over the Rangers heading into the final game of the regular season.
 
Next Up for the Rangers: The Regis University baseball team will finish their regular season with the series finale against Colorado Mines tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m.