LAKEWOOD, CO- The Cougars began their final home series of the season on Friday afternoon as they took on Colorado School of Mines. CCU fought hard throughout, keeping the game close to the end but eventually falling 7-3. 

The Orediggers struck in the first inning as an error allowed a run to come home. Nathan Owens doubled in the second and Nathan Mensen tied the game up with an RBI single up the middle. Two runs in the third from CSM made it 3-1 before things slowed down considerably. 

Neither team was able to score a run till the seventh from there as the pitching was stellar from both sides. Alex Honeyman for Mines and Zachary Hill dueled in a low scoring affair as they posted a number of efficient 1,2,3 innings. A run in the seventh and eighth from the Orediggers made it 5-1, but Mason Hagel-Pitt picked up an eighth inning RBI groundout to make it 5-2. CSM plated two more in the ninth, and an RBI triple from Mensen in the ninth was not enough in the 7-3 setback.

Hill took the bump and went a stellar eight innings, striking out six and scattering eight hits on 120 pitches. Mensen paced the offense with a pair of RBI on the day. 

The Cougars will continue their series against Mines on April 26 at 3 p.m. MST.