ALAMOSA, Colo. – The Regis University baseball team ended its doubleheader at Adams State with mixed results by losing the opener, 11-5, before triumphing in come-from-behind fashion, 8-6, in the closer at ASU Baseball Field on Saturday.
 
How It Happened | Game 1: With the Rangers trailing by a score of 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning, sophomore middle infielder Nathan Hield hit a two-RBI double down the right-field line to score junior right-handed pitcher/first baseman Orlando Romero from third and senior middle infielder Will Morley from second while bringing the Grizzlies to a 6-1 lead. Adams State just needed to play defense from that point on.
 
ASU did not relent because junior catcher/third baseman Cedrick Reynaud knocked a three-run home run to center, scoring junior outfielder Chase Dixon and Hield from third and second, respectively, to extend the Grizzlies' advantage to 9-1 in the fourth. Dixon walked to reach base.
 
Dixon's RBI groundout to shortstop in the fifth allowed senior utility player Kolton Bleggi, who was hit by a pitch, to score from third and grew Adam State's lead to 10-1.
 
Regis cut into its deficit in the sixth with four runs. With senior catcher Roger Riley on first, senior outfielder Kyle Koontz hammered a two-run home run to left to make the score, 10-3. 
 
The last run of this span occurred on senior outfielder Coby Zimmerman's single to center, which advanced freshman infielder Braxton Boyle home to put RU within five, 10-5. Boyle doubled to right center just before Zimmerman's at-bat to get Owen, who walked, across home plate.
 
A Reynaud RBI double to left center returned ASU's lead to six, 11-5, which scored freshman middle infielder Ryan Downs from third. Downs pinch-ran for junior outfielder Sammy David, who singled to second.
 
The Grizzlies broke out to an early 1-0 lead in the first on freshman third baseman/catcher Mike Bathauer's RBI single to left, which scored Reynaud from third. Reynaud had a double to right center.
 
A two-RBI single by Romero through the left side then scored freshman left-handed pitcher/first baseman Matt Bathauer from third and Mike Bathauer from second to extend the lead to 3-0 in the opening inning. Matt Bathauer walked to get on base.
 
Senior infielder Brevin Owen ended Adam State's shutout in the second with a lead-off solo home run through the left side to cut the Rangers' deficit to 3-1.
 
However, this all preceded the six-run fourth for ASU that started on Romero's double down the right-field line, which brought home Bleggi from second for a Grizzlies' 4-1 advantage. Bleggi singled to stat the inning.
 
Game Notes: Koontz opened the doubleheader with a 2-for-4 showing at the plate, consisting of a home run and a double, to go along with a run scored on the home run and two RBI. Owen turned in a 1-for-1 result with the bat, consisting of the home run, and had two runs scored, one RBI on the home run, and a walk. Boyle finished the doubleheader opener with a 1-for-3 outcome, consisting of the home run, which also resulted in a run scored and an RBI.
 
How It Happened | Game 2: The doubleheader closer was knotted up at 5-5 in the sixth. With senior outfielder Andy Beyene on third and Chase on second, Riley bolted a three-run home run to left for Regis's go-ahead, 8-5 lead. Beyene walked and reached third on Chase's ground-rule double to left center. Best of all, the home run additionally gave RU a necessary run cushion to win the game.
 
Wytulka trimmed the Adam State deficit, 8-6, with a solo home run to center in the bottom half of the sixth.
 
ASU actually had the bases loaded with the game-winning run at first in the seventh, but the Rangers survived the serious threat.
 
The game was scoreless in the second when Romero sent a two-run home run to left, while crediting Bleggi with a run scored from second, to give the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead. Bleggi singled through the right side and stole second.
 
Regis cut its deficit in half in the third, 2-1, when redshirt sophomore infielder Colten Chase's RBI fielder's choice allowed enough time for senior outfielder Ryan Tierney to reach home. Tierney opened the inning with a hit-by-pitch to get to first.
 
RU tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth on freshman catcher Reagan Guthrie's RBI triple to right, scoring Tierney from first. Tierney made it to first on a fielder's choice.
 
Unfortunately, Adams State answered with three solo home runs in the bottom half of the fourth from Mike Bathauer to center, Romero to left, and freshman middle infielder Jace Wytulka to left. Wytulka's shot gave ASU a 5-2 lead.
 
The Rangers returned the deficit to a run in the fifth, 5-4, when Koontz took a pitch over the center-field wall that also scored Riley from first. Riley led off the fifth with a single through the right side.
 
Tierney then tied the game, 5-5, on a solo home run to center to lead off the sixth.
 
Game Notes: Riley had a 2-for-3 performance in the doubleheader closer, including the eventual game-winning home run, and recorded two runs scored and a share of the game-high three RBI. Guthrie went 2-for-4 at the plate, consisting of a double and a triple, and had one RBI. Tierney had a 1-for-3 showing in the closer, consisting of the home run, and had an RBI on the home run and a game-high three runs scored. Koontz ended the day with a 1-for-4 outcome with the bat, consisting of the home run, and had a run scored on the home run and two RBI. Senior utility player Thomas Alexander (4-0) endured 6.0 innings in the win in which he gave up six runs and 11 hits while striking out eight and walking no one. Junior pitcher Michael May earned his second save with his inning of work, allowing just two hits, one walk, and no runs.
 
Up Next for the Rangers: Regis moves to a 13-2 record overall and a 9-2 record in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play. RU will wrap up its four-game series against the Grizzlies (2-7, 1-4 RMAC) at ASU Baseball Field on Sunday at noon.