LAKEWOOD, CO – The Cougars took to All Star Park again on Saturday against Colorado Mesa University for games two and three of their last at-home series of the season. The Cougars took the top-ranked Mavericks down twice in two hard-fought games winning 10-7 and 5-2. This is the first time Colorado Mesa has been swept in a doubleheader since April 14th, 2018.
 
GAME 1

CMU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first with a pair of hits along with two runners left stranded. CCU answered quickly and emphatically with a three-run bomb to right field off the bat of Gabe Ramos. Frankie Shearn and Wyatt Crenshaw scored on the home run after a walk and a double in their at bats respectively.
The second inning and beyond saw some back and forth between the two teams as far as runs scored, but the Cougars stayed strong and held the lead throughout. The Mavericks knocked one in after a hit-and-run RBI double in the second to cut CCU's lead to one. The Cougars responded with an RBI single from Crenshaw scoring Shearn in the bottom of the third. Colorado Mesa cut the lead down yet again in the top of the fourth with one more run bringing their total to three. Immediately after though, Colorado Christian found a great rhythm offensively.

Beginning the bottom of the fourth, Ramos, Russell Cruz, and Major Maydon hit back to back to back singles. Maydon collected two RBI's scoring both batters before him and extending CCU's lead to 6-3. Kade Carney was hit by a pitch in his at bat and Caden Walton singled to load the bases. Shearn became the second hit batter of the inning and Crenshaw walked to score both Maydon and Carney. Jordan Medina then reached on a fielder's choice and sent Walton home. The terrific five-run inning finally ended with CCU on top 9-3.

Colorado Mesa threatened a comeback tacking on two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth. The Cougars padded their 9-7 lead with one more run in the bottom of the sixth scored by Walton and shut the Mavericks out in the seventh securing the win 10-7.

GAME 2

CCU carried their great play from game one over into game two. Wyatt Crenshaw went deep with a solo shot in the first. In the next inning, Gabe Ramos singled and came around to score after an RBI groundout to short off the bat of Eli Ludwig. A triple to left center from Caden Walton sent Kade Carney and Russell Cruz across the plate. Both Walton and Cruz had reached earlier on walks. These three runs brought CCU's total to four through the first two innings and the Cougars never looked back.

The Mavericks cut the lead to three with an RBI single in the third, and then to two with a solo home run in the fifth. Crenshaw responded with a home run of his own in the bottom of the fifth (his second HR in the game, fourth of the weekend, and sixteenth this season). The 5-2 lead was enough for CCU to hold on as they shut Mesa out in the sixth and seventh innings.

Pitchers Cameron Spaeth and JC Watne allowed just one run each and pitched very well through four and three innings respectively. The Cougars played extremely tough defense through both games, especially with the glove of Kade Carney. Multiple tough stops and athletic plays from the shortstop helped control the powerful Mesa offense.

UP NEXT – The Cougars and Mavericks will face off one more time Sunday May 1st at noon for the fourth and final game in the series. CCU will look to take the last three and win the series 3-1 while CMU tries to tie it up.