An outmatched Colorado Christian Baseball squad dropped another pair of games to the second-ranked Mavericks of Colorado Mesa Sunday, falling 18-7 and 18-3 at Runyon Field in Pueblo. It was a frustrating ending to a frustrating series for the blue and gold, who managed just 20 hits on Sunday compared to 45 from the high-powered CMU squad.
 
It was an 8-0 game before the Cougars could manage a second hit, as Mesa thundered out of the gates in the day's opener. The Mavs exploded for ten hits in the first four innings, setting the tone for the game with a lethal assault that included a two-run homer in the second inning. CCU finally responded in the fourth, hanging their first on the board after Justin Crider's single to center field scored Austin Atkerson. A wild pitch two batters later got Crider home and moved the score to 8-2.
 
Unfortunately, before the Cougars would score again, the Mavs would unleash for a pair of five run innings to take an 18-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth.
 
A streak of runs in the eighth would pull Christian closer, but Mesa's dominance to that point had already assured the fate of the game. Thanks in part to a Ryan Silva two-RBI triple to right field, CCU managed five in the bottom of the frame and cut the CMU lead to 11 runs.
 
Crider wrapped the game Christian's leader from the plate after getting one run and one RBI in a 2-for-4 effort. The loss went to starter Matt Weaver (0-6), who gave up three earned runs on two hits in an inning of work on the hill. Daniel Bednarski, Justin Gaskins, Lukas Jorgensen, and Mark McMahon pitched in relief for the Cougars.
 
Game two's loss went to Atkerson, after the sophomore gave up seven earned runs on nine hits in three innings. Atkerson and relievers Garret Henrichsen, Michael Cantrell, and McMahon allowed a combined 20 hits in the finale, fanning just four Mesa batters and walking four.
 
CCU collected just nine hits in the 23-3 loss, with Stephen Galambos and Jerry Gallegos combining for four in addition to two RBI. Silva got Christian's other RBI, after a ground out in the sixth scored Titan Marler.
 
Now 13-29 on the year, CCU looks to rebound quickly from their losses. They'll host Colorado Mines next weekend before closing the season with a final home series against Metro State in Lakewood. Colorado Christian split with Mines in March, winning two out of four in Golden.