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Regis University Athletics

Home of the Regis University Rangers
4
Adams State ASU 2-13
5
Winner Regis (CO.) RUBB 11-11-1
Adams State ASU
2-13
4
Final
5
Regis (CO.) RUBB
11-11-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Adams State ASU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 7 2
Regis (CO.) RUBB 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 5 12 1

W: Ayers, Caleb (2-0) L: Brandon Vidal (0-3)

Matt Marlow 3.18
Ted Betsy, Regis Athletics
Regis junior Matt Marlow (#1) finished 2-for-4 with a two-run double in Friday's win over Adams State.

Game Recap: Baseball | | David Wilson, Assistant AD-Communications

Padilla walk-off single lifts Rangers to 5-4 victory over Adams State

DENVER, Colo. — The old cliché is that the ninth inning features the three toughest outs in baseball. Elevated levels of intensity and nerves, and the pressure of finality, set the stage for dramatic and memorable finishes.

Such was the case Friday when the Regis University baseball team opened its four-game home series against Adams State University. After the visiting Grizzlies rallied to tie the game with four runs in the top of the ninth, the Rangers answered in the home-half of inning as sophomore Levi Padilla roped a walk-off single to lift RU to a thrilling 5-4 victory.

"The game of baseball is difficult and there's a lot of things that have to go right to collect 27 outs and have more runs than the other team by the end of it. Unfortunately, we gave up that four-spot in the top of the ninth, but I think our guys showed up in the bottom of the ninth and did our jobs," said Regis head baseball coach, Drew LaComb. "We had great at-bats and it was a team win and team effort. I'm just happy we found a way to get a win at the end of the day."

HOW IT HAPPENED: Friday's series opener began as a pitcher's dual as senior right-hander Justin Kleinsorge shut down the Grizzlies' lineup through six shutout innings. The Rangers' ace limited Adams State to two hits, two walks and struck out eight while lowering his earned run average to a sparkling 3.67.

As for the Grizzlies, their senior starter Alfredo Villa tossed a solid seven innings and limited a powerful Rangers' lineup to four runs, three earned, on nine hits.

Regis broke through against Villa in the third inning when junior first baseman Matt Marlow lined a double to deep center, scoring graduate students Roger Riley and Brevin Owen, who also doubled one-batter earlier to put two runners in scoring position.

The Rangers added a third run on the RBI single from freshman Zach Daudet in the fourth inning, scoring graduate student Kyle Koontz, and an unearned run in the run in the seventh to take a 4-0 lead into the late innings.

In the top of the ninth, two walks and a hit batsman provided the kindling for the Grizzlies four-run rally to tie the game before junior right-hander Caleb Ayers was able to calm the waters, wiggling out of a bases loaded jam to record the final two outs of the inning.

Ayers picked up his second win of the season out of the bullpen and preserved the tie score to set the stage for the walk-off heroics.

The Rangers took advantage of the new life as Owen drew a leadoff walk. After McKay Banks came in to pinch run, Marlow delivered a sharp single to center and two duo moved into scoring position on the perfectly placed sacrifice bunt from junior Austin Vaught.

Adams State would issue an intentional walk to Koontz, loading the bases with two outs for Padilla, who pounced on the first pitch he saw; a sinking liner to left that dropped in and scored Banks for the winning run.

"He's a tough kid, very mature and extremely confident," LaComb said of Padilla, who also delivered a walk-off winner back on Feb. 13 against Minot State. "He's a hard worker and we were fully confident that he was going to find a way to get it done in that situation. I can't credit the kid enough and he plays like an upperclassman with his maturity level. Because of how much he hits, how much he works and attention he puts into his craft; there's a reason why, when he gets into those situations, he's successful."

GAME NOTES: The bottom of the Rangers' batting order tormented Grizzlies pitching on Friday as the 7-8-9 batters of Koontz (2-for-2, 3 BBs) , Padilla (2-for-4) and Miguel Marquez (2-for-4) combined to reach base nine times.

"It's huge to get that production and we have a lot of depth in our program. Guys who hit at the bottom of the lineup could very easily hit in the top of the lineup for us," LaComb said. "Those guys being able to produce multi-hit games and get on base consistently for the top of the lineup for huge for us. But I'm not necessarily surprised because they're good hitters and I was expecting them to do something to help us."

Sophomore right-hander Logan Deskin had a sensational appearance out of the bullpen for the Rangers, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning before striking out the side in the eighth. He now has 15 strikeouts in just 8.2 innings pitched.

As a pitching staff, the Rangers racked up 13 strikeouts on Friday, padding their RMAC lead in the category (204); ten more than second-place MSU Denver (194).

UP NEXT: Regis and Adams State will continue the four-game series with another single, nine-inning game at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Prior to the game, Rangers Baseball will be hosting dozens of young fans from Brighton Youth Baseball Association.

"It's going to be a great day and it's an opportunity for our guys to give back to the Brighton community. We've had a great relationship with them, have hosted a couple youth camps within their organization, and it's going to be exciting to have a bunch of young fans out here," LaComb said. "I told our guys, 'Imagine if you were 10 years old again. How cool would it have been to be able to shag batting practice with college players, have them coach you for the day and kind of be a big brother?' That's what it's all about. We're trying to grow the game and reach out to the community. Events like this could spark a kid's interest in baseball and be a day they remember for the rest of their lives."
 
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Scoring Summary

Score By Innings
Play ASU RUBB
RUBB BOT 3rd Marlow doubled to center field, 2 RBI (0-0); Owen scored; Riley scored. 0 2
RUBB BOT 4th Daudet singled to left field, RBI (2-2); Marquez advanced to second; Koontz scored. 0 3
RUBB BOT 7th Boyle reached on an error by 3b (0-0); Marlow advanced to second; Riley scored, unearned. 0 4
ASU TOP 9th C. Reynaud singled up the middle, 2 RBI (0-0); B. Bettis advanced to third; N. Hield scored; R. Ramirez scored. 2 4
ASU TOP 9th Ma. Bathauer flied out to cf, SF, RBI (3-2); B. Bettis scored. 3 4
ASU TOP 9th O. Romero singled to right center, RBI (0-1); Mi. Bathauer advanced to third; C. Reynaud scored. 4 4
RUBB BOT 9th Padilla singled to left field, RBI (0-0); Koontz advanced to second; Marlow advanced to third; Banks scored. 4 5

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