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Athletic Report
March 9, 2002

COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES IMPROVES TO 13-1 WITH DOUBLE-HEADER SWEEP OF GREYHOUNDS
PORTALES, NM Justin Barberio of the Colorado School of Mines drove in Ross Tobin with the game-winning run in the top of the ninth inning, and the Orediggers went on to defeat Eastern New Mexico University, 5-4, in the first game of a double-header, March 9 at Greyhound Field. In the second game, Colorado Mines scored four unearned runs following a two-out error in the second inning on its way to an 8-1 win. The Orediggers improved to 13-1 on the season, while ENMU fell to 7-15 for the year.

The Greyhounds and Colorado Mines will play another double-header at Greyhound Field on Sunday, March 10, starting at 12:00 noon (MST). CSM received complete games from its starting pitchers. Ryan Phillips threw all nine innings in the opener, and gave up just 7 hits, while striking out 6 batters and allowing 2 walks. Chris Michna tossed all seven innings in the second game. He had not strikeouts, but allowed only 7 hits and walked just 2 batters.

ENMU forced extra innings in the first game by scoring three runs in the bottom of the 7th inning. Xarin Escobedo (Sr., SS, Mexico City, MEX/El Paso C.C.) was hit by a pitch to open the stanza, then Luz Leal, Jr. (Jr., OF/LHP, Laredo, TX/Alexander Magnet H.S.) pounded a pinch-hit double down the right field line. Mark Wallace (Fr., CF, Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo H.S.) hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Escobedo, to cut CSM’s lead to 4-2.

With two outs, Josh Kuchta (Fr., RHP, Clovis, NM/Clovis H.S.), who pinch ran for Leal, advanced to third on a wild pitch. Chris Hill (Jr., IF, Boise, ID/Scottsdale C.C.) was hit by a pitch, then Dallas McMann (Jr., C/DH, Amarillo, TX/Randall H.S.) singled through the left side to score Kuchta. Ty Deichert (So., UT, Denver, CO/Lamar C.C.), who ran for Hill, advanced to second on the play. Deichert scored the tying run when Ryan Dickson (Sr., DH/1B, Trail, BC/Big Bend C.C.) reached base on an error by third baseman Steven Krier.

Colorado Mines took a 1-0 lead in the first game when Matt Fritzinger singled with two outs in the third inning and scored two singles later. Kevin Baird earned the RBI. The Orediggers increased their lead to 2-0 in the fifth inning, as Krier opened the stanza with a double, before scoring on a single by Ross Tobin. Tobin was 4 for 5 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs during the game.

Eastern answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Franco Barrero (Jr., 1B/DH, Laredo, TX/Laredo J.C.) hit a leadoff double down the right field line. He reached third base on a single by Steven Romano (Jr., 3B, Las Cruces, NM/Onate H.S.), and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Wallace.

Colorado Mines added two runs in the top of the seventh for a 4-1 lead. Tobin hit an RBI single to drive in the first run, then scored later in the inning following three consecutive walks by ENMU relief pitcher Ian Thurman-Kelly (So., LHP, Denver, CO/Lamar C.C.). Thurman-Kelly remained in the game after ENMU tied the score in the bottom of the inning. He struck out two batters during the extra innings, but made a two-base throwing error in the top of the ninth that allowed Tobin to reach third base. Thurman-Kelly fell to 2-3 with the loss.

Phillips moved to 2-1 on the season with the win. The Orediggers led 1-0 after one stanza in the second game. The first two batters of the second inning hit into outs, but Fritzinger followed with a ball down the third base line that Romano, charging in from third, misplayed. Mike Cerbo hit an RBI single, Eric Poeck snuck in an RBI double down the right field line, and Phillips provided an RBI single through the left side, as CSM went on to tally four unearned runs.

ENMU got one run back in the bottom of the inning. McMann started the inning with a single up the middle. He advanced to second on a balk, reached third on another balk, and scored on a wild pitch - all while the next batter, Dickson, was at the plate. Dickson also singled, but was left on base when the Orediggers recorded three consecutive outs.

CSM scored one run in the third, sixth and seventh innings to close out the scoring.The Orediggers collected 11 hits during the game, led by Poeck and Phillips, who each went 3 for 4. Poeck drove in three runs, while Phillips totaled two RBIs to go with one run scored.

For ENMU, McMann was 2 for 3 in the second game. He went 4 for 7 on the day, and has earned 20 hits in 26 at bats (.769) in Eastern’s last seven games. He leads the Greyhounds with a .457 batting average for the season. Five ENMU players each recorded one hit in Game #2.

Michna improved to 3-0 with the pitching victory for Colorado Mines. ENMU starter Kevin Hull (Jr., RHP, New Braunfels, TX/Richland College) fell to 1-3 with the loss. He gave up 6 hits and 6 runs in three innings, but only 2 of the runs were earned. Kuchta gave up 2 runs on 5 hits, while earning 4 strikeouts over the final four innings.