COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Regis University baseball team continued its trek through the toughest stretch of its 2021 schedule with a doubleheader at UC-Colorado Springs and endured a 12-2 loss in the nine-inning opener before falling by a score of 19-2 in the seven-inning closer at Mountain Lion Park on Tuesday.
 
How It Happened | Game 1: Facing a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the second inning, redshirt sophomore infielder Kiichi Sato of the Mountain Lions sent an RBI single down the left-field line to score redshirt junior outfielder Walker Rumsey from second for the go-ahead, 3-2 lead. After the run by Rumsey, who walked and stole second, the Rangers could not overcome the deficit.
 
Sato stole second and later came home on redshirt junior outfielder Evan Richards' triple to right center to grow UCCS's lead to 4-2.
 
Holding a 5-2 advantage in the fourth, Richards launched a two-run home run to right, which scored Sato from first, to give the Mountain Lions a 7-2 lead. Sato hit an RBI single up the middle in the previous at-bat.
 
With the lead extended to 10-2 in the eighth, a pinch-hit RBI double to left by redshirt sophomore infielder Henry Ryan sent graduate infielder Matt McDermott home from third for an 11-2 advantage in favor of UC-Colorado Springs. McDermott walked to start the inning.
 
UCCS last added to its run tally on redshirt sophomore catcher Ryan Schmidt's RBI sacrifice fly to right, which allowed redshirt senior infielder Jake Anderson to come home from third for the Mountain Lions' 12-2 lead. Anderson singled to second to get on base.
 
Regis jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on senior outfielder Kyle Koontz's double down the left-field line to score senior catcher Roger Riley and redshirt sophomore infielder Colten Chase from second and first, respectively. Both Riley and Chase hit singles through the left side to open the game in consecutive at-bats.
 
Richards cut UC-Colorado Springs' deficit in half, 2-1, on a double down the left-field line, bringing home Sato from second. Sato led off the inning with a double down the left-field line.
 
The game was tied, 2-2, when Richards tagged from third on Anderson's RBI sacrifice fly to center.
 
Game Notes: Riley ended the opener with a 2-for-5 showing and scored a run. Chase posted a 1-for-4 performance in the game and scored the other run. Koontz claimed a 1-for-3 result at the plate, consisting of the double, had both of Regis's RBI, and drew one walk. Freshman infielder Braxton Boyle and senior outfielder Coby Zimmerman both had 1-for-3 outcomes at the plate, with Boyle also drawing one walk and Zimmerman's hit consisting of a double.
 
How It Happened | Game 2: With UCCS ahead by a 2-0 margin in the second, Rumsey slammed a two-run home run to left center for a 4-0 Mountain Lions' lead. The home run scored redshirt sophomore catcher Michael Bennin, the eventual game-winning run, from second. Following the home run, UC-Colorado Springs secured more than enough runs to win the doubleheader closer against RU.
 
This was superseded by McDermott's three-run home run to left center later in the inning, scoring Sato from second and Richards from first for a sizable 7-0 advantage. Sato walked, and Richards hit a bunt single to reach base and advance Sato to second.
 
Bennin then capped off a six-run fourth for UCCS with a grand slam to left center, which brought home Anderson from third, redshirt junior infielder Jaeden Hegmann, and reshirt junior outfielder Aaron Faragallah from first for a 13-0 lead. Anderson had an RBI double to left center, Hegmann singled through the left side, and Faragallah walked in consecutive plate appearances.
 
The Rangers finally ended the shutout in the sixth. Junior catcher Ryan Hutchinson's pinch-hit RBI triple to left center brought freshman outfielder Levi Padilla, who was hit by a pitch, around the bases for a 13-1 deficit.
 
Senior utility player Thomas Alexander's RBI groundout in the next at-bat sent Hutchinson home to make the score, 13-2.
 
However, Regis experienced another inning in which its deficit increased by six in the sixth. The run count for both the inning and the game were capped off when redshirt freshman infielder Zac Dammel's single to right scored redshirt sophomore infielder Luis Samorano from second for a 19-2 Mountain Lions' lead. Samorano singled to right center three at-bats earlier.
 
UC-Colorado Springs reached a 1-0 advantage in the first on Anderson's RBI sacrifice fly to center, which allowed enough time for Sato to tag from third and score. Sato led off the first with a walk.
 
UCCS doubled its lead to 2-0 to start the second on Bennin's RBI double to left, scoring Faragallah from second base. Faragallah opened the second with a double to right center.
 
Game Notes: Hutchinson recorded a 1-for-1 outcome, consisting of his pinch-hit triple, and scored a run as well as had one RBI. Padilla scored Regis's other run in the closer, and Alexander was responsible for one of RU's RBI. Senior outfielder Andy Beyene had a 1-for-1 showing at the plate. Chase, Zimmerman, and freshman catcher Reagan Guthrie all posted 1-for-2 performances with the bat, with Guthrie's hit consisting of a double in the closer.
 
Up Next for the Rangers: The Rangers fall to a 17-13 record overall and a 13-13 record in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play. Regis next plays Colorado School of Mines (5-17, 5-17 RMAC) at Jim Darden Field in its sixth doubleheader in a row, consisting of a nine-inning contest at 4 p.m. and a seven-inning game at 7 p.m. RU will be the home team for both games.