DENVER, Colo. – The Regis University baseball team (15-8, 7-4 RMAC) played two close games against Colorado Christian University (7-10, 2-5 RMAC) on Saturday. Regis took the first game 5-3 and lost by one run, 3-2 in the second game.
 
How It Happened | Game 1: The Cougars hit three singles in the first inning and scored two runs to take a 2-0 lead. Two back-to-back doubles in the second inning helped add to their run total, making it 3-0.
 
Three straight Ranger homeruns evened the score at three. Two came in the bottom of the second on back-to-back solo homeruns to left field by senior Zach Dedin and junior Logan Heflebower.
 
The third homerun came in the bottom of the third off the bat of senior Andrew Bryniarski. All three homeruns came with one out. RU added a single run in the fourth and sixth inning to win the game 5-3.
 
Game Notes: Junior Connor Rochon (2-3) and Heflebower (2-2, 1 HR, 1 RBI) were the only Regis batters with multiple hits. Both teams accounted for eight hits, but the Rangers committed just one error and the Cougars were plagued with two.
 
Senior Noah Gotsis (3-2) was awarded the win after pitching five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out one batter.
 
How It Happened | Game Two: RU played from behind the entire game and were unable to tie the score although they had ample opportunities.
 
A two-run homerun by the Cougars in the third inning put CCU on the board first.
 
Freshman Marcus Salvato reached base on a bunt as the lead-off batter in the bottom half of the third and he came around to score on a double down the left-field line by Bryniarski,, making the score 2-1.
 
The Cougars scored again in the fifth to go ahead by two, 3-1.
 
Regis threatened in the bottom of the sixth but only came away with one run. Rochon took first base after being hit by a pitch before advancing to second base on a wild pitch. Senior Garrett Skillings then singled to center-field, sending Rochon to third. With runners on the corners, Dedin took the first pitch he saw and hit an RBI-single through the right side, scoring Rochon.
 
Sophomore Ryan Tierney watched four balls pass him and his walk loaded the bases with no outs. Sophomore Kennedy Phillips was retired on strikes, but the Rangers still had a chance with the bases loaded. Heflebower, the next batter up, double into a double-play, ending the inning.
 
RU was retired 1-2-3 in the seventh and fell 3-2 to the Cougars.
 
Game Notes: Salvato (2-4) and Skillings (2-2) each had multiple hits as the Regis collectively had seven. CCU outhit the Rangers 8-7.
 
Phillips accounted for 10 put-outs from behind the plate.
 
Sophomore Cobe Karhoff (2-2) was given the loss after pitching four innings and surrendering three runs on five hits. He struck-out six batters.
 
Up Next for the Rangers: The Regis baseball team will close the series against CCU at home tomorrow, March, 18 at 11 a.m.