DENVER – The Regis University baseball team thrilled its fans one last time for the 2021 regular season by giving them a 16-7 win over New Mexico Highlands on Senior Day at Regis Baseball Field on Saturday.
 
How It Happened: Keeping a slim 5-4 lead over the Cowboys in the sixth inning, the Rangers lengthened their lead to 8-4 on redshirt sophomore infielder Colten Chase's three-run home run to left field to score senior catcher Roger Riley from third and sophomore infielder Austin Vaught from second. This lead eventually proved to be too much for New Mexico Highlands to overcome. Riley reached first on a fielding error, and Vaught doubled down the right-field line in back-to-back at-bats.
 
NMHU cut its deficit to a run, 8-7, in the seventh with a two-run home run to left from senior outfielder Jesus Chavez and a solo home run to left by junior right-handed pitcher Kalen Hammer.
 
Though the threat would not get any closer for Regis, RU did not take any chances and proceeded to double its run total in the bottom half of the seventh.
 
The Rangers' eight-run seventh started on senior infielder Mitch Albin's bases-loaded, RBI single to center, which scored senior outfielder Kyle Koontz from third to give Regis a 9-7 lead. Koontz walked to open the inning.
 
Koontz, who knocked a two-RBI double to center later in the inning, bookended the seventh and the eight-run span when he scored off senior outfielder Coby Zimmerman's single to right. This would prove to be the game's final run.
 
The Cowboys led by a 1-0 score after senior infielder/right-handed pitcher Gaylan Young singled to left to bring home junior outfielder Estevan De La O, who had a game-opening single to right, from second.
 
Following Koontz's lead-off solo home run to left to tie the game at 1-1 in the second, Albin scored on senior catcher Roger Riley's RBI single through the left side for the go-ahead, 2-1 lead in favor of RU in the second.
 
With the Rangers holding a 5-2 advantage in the fifth, New Mexico Highlands trimmed its deficit to a 5-4 one on senior outfielder/designated hitter Joe Kuhn's two-run home run to left. Young, who doubled down the right-field line in the previous at-bat to open the inning, was at second on Kuhn's home run.

Game Notes: Chase wrapped up the regular season with a 2-for-3 performance, including the home run, had a share of the game-highs of three runs and three RBI, walked twice, and stole one base. Koontz posted a 2-for-4 day, consisting of the home run and the double, had a share of the game-high three runs scored, contributed two RBI, and walked once. Albin turned in a 2-for-5 performance in which he scored twice and had a share of the game-high three RBI. Sophomore infielder Matt Marlow also claimed a 2-for-5 showing during which he added two runs scored and two RBI. Senior outfielder Ryan Tierney finished the game with a 2-for-5 outcome at the plate. Riley concluded the contest on a 2-for-6 result with the bat to go along with two runs scored and a share of the game-high three RBI. Redshirt junior pitcher Mitchell Trenka pitched 5.1 innings during which he struck out six while allowing four runs, eight hits, and three walks in the win.
 
Following the game, 11 seniors were recognized in a Senior Day ceremony.
 
Up Next for the Rangers: Regis improves to a 21-17 record overall and a 17-17 record in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play to end the regular season. RU will enter into the RMAC Tournament as the No. 4 seed and will take on No. 3 seed RV UC-Colorado Springs (26-10, 22-10 RMAC) at Suplizio Field on Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Grand Junction, Colo. The top-seeded No. 1 Colorado Mesa-hosted RMAC Tournament will be double-elimination format.