GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (GoThunderWolves.com - May 10, 2014) — The Colorado Mesa University Mavericks scored two first-inning runs and added another in the third to build a 3-0 lead before holding on for a 4-2 win over the visiting Colorado State University-Pueblo ThunderWolves in the championship game of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament here at Sam Suplizio Field.
Both teams tallied 11 hits in the game although only one of the 22 combined base knocks were for extra bases.
The nation's fifth-ranked Mavericks, who won the tournament for the first time since 2011, are now 40-10 overall and are guaranteed a spot in next week's NCAA Division II South Central Regional Tournament, which they are likely to host. The Pack, which was looking for the tournament title for the second consecutive year fell to 29-24 as their season likely came to an end.
The Mavericks' first two batters found their way on base before a bunt single from tournament MVP Austin Kaiser loaded the bases. Nate Robinson then hit in to the game's only double play although Sergio Valenzuela scored the opening run from third.
The Mavericks then doubled their lead later in the inning on a Derrick Garcia RBI single.
In the third, Robinson plated Garrett Carpenter from second after lead-off single and Kaiser sacrifice to put CMU up 3-0.
However, the Pack would get that run back in the fourth as singled by both Mike Wagner (Jr., Golden, Colo.) and Scott Hoyt (Sr., Longmont, Colo.) helped set up Evan Kenebrew (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo.) for an RBI single.
Kaiser then doubled to begin the bottom of the fifth and scored the Mavericks' fourth run on a 1-out single by Jordan Leister.
Dillon Given (Sr., Salinas, Calif.) then entered in place of starter Jesse Bristow (Jr., Heber, Utah) shutting down the Mavericks the rest of the way. Given allowed just two hits in 3 2/3 innings of work.
Meanwhile, the Pack went down quietly in the sixth and seventh innings before making some racket in the eighth when both Austin Mascorro (Jr., Oxnard, Calif.) and Dominick Bregar (So., Pueblo, Colo.) singled before a Hoyt single plated Mascorro, who had moved to third on an error, with the game's final run.
Down 4-2 at that point, the ThunderWolves fell victim to Maverick reliever Tyler Dunnington who recorded three strikeouts while getting the final five outs.
The ThunderWolves had four selections to the all-tournament team in Lonny Schoon (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo.), Wagner, Eddie Williams (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Shane Richins (Jr., Heber, Utah).
