DENVER, Colo. – The Regis University Baseball team earned a 21-14 win over the University of Sioux Falls in a high-scoring affair on Wednesday afternoon. The Rangers improve to 10-8, while the Cougars fall to 4-10.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Cougars would start the game strong, bringing in two runs in the top of the first inning on three hits, but the Rangers responded in a huge way. The first seven batters for the Rangers all reached home, including the first four being walked and Garrett Rede, Ethan Wood, and Peter Goldy recording three straight RBI hits. Clay Conn was hit by a pitch to earn an RBI, and Paniagua had a sacrifice fly to bring the score to 7-2 after one.

After three straight Cougar outs in the top of the second, Wood smacked a solo home run, and Dylan Hearn tripled to bring in Matt Graf and extend the Ranger lead. USF did not roll over, however, and responded in the third inning a two-RBI double, an RBI single, and had a player score on a wild pitch.

In the fourth inning, Sioux Falls brought the game within one with a two-run homer, 8-9, but Goldy's solo home run in the bottom of the frame gave the Rangers some cushion. Then, three straight walks loaded the bases for Paniagua, and he cleared the bases with a grand slam.

Sioux Falls held on to some momentum, scoring two more runs on an RBI grounder and sac fly in the fifth inning. However, the Rangers' bats stayed hot too, as they recorded four more runs on three hits in the frame, including a Graf two-RBI single and a Tanner Rice sacrifice fly.

Maxim Fullerton was walked to being the sixth, and after stealing second, Garrett Rede brought him home with a home run. Dylan Hearn then batted in Graf with a double to push the score to 21-10. The Rangers began to cycle pitchers in the seventh, as Jack Plummer, Zach Gregory, and Luke Douthitt all faced one batter.

Cam Bushnell, Matt Anderson, and Lucas Watson all made appearances on the mound in the eighth as USF added three more runs. Trevor Moeck took over in the ninth as Sioux Falls scored one final run for the 21-14 final score.

"The coolest part of this team is there's so many guys you can trust to go in and do their job," said Goldy. "Going into RMAC play, things get nasty, so it's great to have this depth and guys feeling good. Definitely some things we can improve on, but I think we're in a great spot."

GAME NOTES

·        Goldy went 4-4, scored four runs, and batted in three

·        Wood batted in three runs, scored three, and went 4-6 at the plate

·        Rede also scored three runs and batted in three

·        Paniagua had five RBIs

·        Graf had four hits in five RBIs

·        Both teams totaled 16 hits

·        26 Rangers appeared in the game, including 12 pitchers

·        Wyatt Sargent (1-0) earned the win, while Owen Weadge recorded the loss (0-2)

UP NEXT

The Rangers kick off RMAC play on Friday, March 7 with a series at Metropolitan State University of Denver.