DENVER – The Regis University baseball team commenced its doubleheader against New Highlands with a commanding 11-3 victory in the opener before suffering a 19-5 loss in the closer at Regis Baseball Field on Friday.
 
How It Happened | Game 1: Knotted up in a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the second inning, sophomore infielder Matt Marlow launched a grand slam to left field that brought home senior catcher Roger Riley, freshman infielder Braxton Boyle, and redshirt sophomore infielder Colten Chase from third, second, and first, respectively, for a 5-1 Rangers' lead. Regis just needed to play defense from that point forward.
 
Senior outfielder Kyle Koontz then went deep to left on the next at-bat to extend the RU lead to 6-1.
 
Following freshman catcher Reagan Guthrie's solo home run down the left-field line in the third, Marlow drove home senior outfielder Ryan Tierney from third and Riley from second on a two-RBI single to left for a 9-1 advantage. Tierney reached first on a dropped third strike, and Riley singled to left center.
 
Freshman catcher Cobe Lehman's RBI single down the left-field line brought home junior infielder Eric Papas, who reached first on a fielder's choice, from third to cut the Cowboys' deficit to 9-2 in the fifth.
 
However, Marlow returned the Rangers' advantage back to eight, 10-2, on a solo home run to right center in the bottom half of the inning.
 
A Riley RBI single to left was responsible for Regis's final run in the sixth, scoring senior outfielder Coby Zimmerman from third, to give RU an 11-2 lead.
 
The game's final run occurred in the seventh when New Mexico Highlands senior outfielder Jesus Chavez hit a lead-off solo home run down the left-field line for an 11-3 score in favor of the Rangers.
 
The opening game of the doubleheader featured NMHU jumping out to an early 1-0 lead in the first on senior infielder/right-handed pitcher Gaylan Young's solo home run to left.
 
Regis responded by tying the game, 1-1, on Riley's lead-off solo home run to left in the bottom half of the opening inning.
 
Game Notes: Marlow contributed a 3-for-4 effort in the opener, including two home runs that yielded his two runs scored, and a game-high and career-high seven RBI. Riley posted a 4-for-5 performance, including his home run, to go along with three runs scored and two RBI. Koontz claimed a 2-for-3 showing, including the home run that gave him a run scored and an RBI. Guthrie registered a 2-for-4 result at the plate, including the home run that produced both a run scored and an RBI. Tierney also recorded a 2-for-4 outcome with the bat and scored a run. Freshman pitcher Dylan De Leon earned the win upon pitching 6.0 innings in which he struck out five and gave up two runs, three hits, and two walks.
 
How It Happened | Game 2: Looking to expand upon a 5-4 lead in the Cowboys' favor in the fifth, junior outfielder Estevan De La O connected a two-RBI double to right that sent home junior utility player Jared Brown from second and Lehman from first for a 7-4 advantage. New Mexico Highlands required no further run support for the rest of the game. Brown had an RBI single to right, and Lehman walked.
 
Down 10-4 in the bottom half of the fifth, RU cut the deficit to five runs, 10-5, when Boyle scored off Koontz's RBI fielder's choice to shortstop. Boyle made it to first on a dropped third strike. This would be the last run the Rangers would score in the closer.
 
NMHU last added to its run total in the seventh when Young doubled to left with the bases loaded, and this hit scored Lehman from third and De La O from second for a 19-5 lead. These would be the contest's final runs. Lehman was hit by a pitch, and De La O had an RBI single to third to load the bases.
 
Just as the previous game, the Cowboys scored in the first inning. Senior outfielder/designated hitter Joe Kuhn's RBI double to right center brought home sophomore infielder Brandon Baier from third for a swift 1-0 lead. Baier reached first on a fielder's choice.
 
New Mexico Highlands grew the lead to 2-0 on Chavez's RBI groundout to shortstop to bring home Young, who doubled to left center.
 
Senior catcher JT Stanley tied the game for Regis in the second, 2-2, on a double down the right-field line to score Marlow from second and senior infielder Brevin Owen from first. Marlow opened the second with a single to center, and Owen singled through the right side.           
 
After Owen tied the game in the fourth with an RBI double down the left-field line to score Zimmerman, who doubled to right center, Owen gave RU a go-ahead, 4-3 lead on a wild pitch later in the inning.
 
Unfortunately, Chavez would even the score at 4-4 on an RBI double to right center in the fifth to bring home Kuhn as an unearned run. Chavez would then score the tie-breaking run on Brown's RBI single to right for a 5-4 NMHU advantage.
 
Game Notes: Owen closed the doubleheader with a 2-for-3 performance, including the double, and scored a team-high two runs and had one RBI. Stanley also finished the doubleheader with a 2-for-3 effort, including the double, and racked up a team-high two RBI. Marlow capped the day with a 2-for-4 showing to go along with one run scored. 
 
Up Next for the Rangers: The Rangers move to a 20-17 record overall and a 16-17 record in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play. Regis wraps up the series and its 2021 regular season against the Cowboys (13-24, 11-22 RMAC) on Senior Day at Regis Baseball Field on Saturday at noon.