Golden, CO – Stellar pitching and an offensive explosion saw the Cougars dismantle the Orediggers game one, run ruling Colorado School of Mines 20-0 the first game. The Cougars drop a tight affair in game 2, losing 6-9 and splitting the day in Golden.

GAME ONE
From the very first inning, it was clear the Cougars came ready to swing. Lukas Hinze set the tone immediately, getting on base, eventually coming around to score before Cade Lacy launched a first-inning homer to put CCU up early. That momentum would only build from there.

The second inning saw the game completely break open. Hit after hit, the Cougars strung together six runs, spraying the ball all over the field and forcing a pitching change early. Mason Hagel-Pitt delivered one of the biggest swings of the inning, driving in a pair, while contributions came up and down the lineup as CCU jumped out to an 8-0 lead.

And they weren't done.

A five-run fourth inning, followed by three more in the fifth and four in the sixth, turned a strong start into a full-blown statement. The Cougars finished with 20 runs on 19 hits, nearly every spot in the lineup producing to run rule the hosts. Hagel-Pitt led the charge with a monster day at the plate, going 4-for-5 with 6 RBIs, while Hinze added three hits and 4 RBIs of his own, including a three-run blast in the sixth. Lacy left the yard twice, driving in four, and Nathan Owens joined the home run parade as well.

While the offense rightfully will grab headlines, Zachary Hill was just as dominant on the mound. The Texas native tossed a complete game shutout, allowing only two hits while striking out seven batters. Hill kept Mines off balance the totality of the game, keeping the Oredigger's at bay first to last pitch. 

GAME TWO
The Orediggers would start off quick, scoring a run in the opening frame, CCU responding quick. The second would see the Cougars string together quality at-bats, loaded the bases, and capitalized. Lukas Hinze worked a bases-loaded walk to tie things up before Gregory Rangel delivered the biggest swing of the day, a grand slam to right field that flipped the game on its head and gave CCU a 5-1 lead.

Mines refused to have a repeat of the first game. Colorado School of Mines answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning, taking advantage of free passes, hit batters, and a key error to plate four runs and even things back up at 5-5. n inning later, a triple followed by a two-run homer from the hosts swung all momentum back to the home side, quickly turning a deficit into an 8-5 advantage. Mines would tack on one more in the fourth, capitalizing on another defensive miscue to extend the lead to four.

The Cougars were able to chip away slightly in the sixth, with Aidan Welsh launching a solo shot to left field, but the offense couldn't fully recapture its early rhythm. After putting up five runs in the second, CCU managed just one run the rest of the way, as Mines' bullpen locked things down over the final innings, ending the 6-9.

Rangel lead the day with a homer and 4 RBI's, Hinze and Welsh each providing one of their own with Mensen delivering two hits himself. Novotny did his best to shut things down late on the mound, going two innings with 0 runs on 0 hits.

After a strong day for the Cougars, displaying a strong standard on the offensive and pitching side, CCU looks to sweep the double header tomorrow to stay in the mix for the RMAC tournament. Back on Jim Darden Field, first pitch is set for 12pm, game two set for 3pm MDT.