By Erik Hildebrandt |
Adams State University’s baseball team matched up with the Regis Rangers for a four-game slate this past weekend in Denver. Both teams were struggling heading into the series with only 22 wins between both teams.
Game One:
Starting pitcher Danny Brennan kept the Rangers’ bats in check through the first three innings. After a throwing error by the Grizzlies, the Rangers scored to take the early lead. After a double, the Rangers took a two-run lead. The Rangers ended up scoring in the next two innings to increase their lead to five runs. The Grizzlies scoring started in the sixth inning after center fielder, Nico Nintze singled through the ride side to bring in second baseman, Erik Hildebrandt. Two batters later, right fielder Patrick Huffaker doubled down the left field line to bring home a pair of Grizzlies. The Grizzlies bats went quiet in the remaining innings as Regis added four more runs during the last three innings winning 9-3.
Game Two:
Saturday featured a doubleheader between the Grizzlies and Rangers. Starting pitcher Dalton Carleo got the nod on the mound and took full advantage of it. Carleo pitched his best game of the season, throwing a complete game while only allowing one earned run. During the second inning, Jared Gay hit a towering fly ball to right which appeared to be going out. After slipping through the netting in right field, the umpire signaled it a homerun even though the ball was still in play. After deliberation between the umpires, Gay was sent back to third base. Designated hitter Orlando Romero drove him in on a fielder’s choice.
The Rangers took the lead in the third inning after a double and a fielder’s choice. They scored their third run of the game on a single in the fourth inning. Catcher Billy Ryan got the Grizzlies within one run after scoring on Dakota Solis’s sacrifice fly. After loading the bases, the Grizzlies could not score the tying run. Carleo held the Rangers out of the score column with a lock down sixth inning. Hildebrandt led off the final inning needing to get on base for the Grizzlies. After a tough at-bat, Hildebrandt hit a ball in between the hole of third base and the shortstop. The Rangers’ shortstop made a tremendous diving play in the hole but couldn’t throw out the speedy Hildebrandt. After a wild pitch, Hildebrandt advanced to second. Third baseman Logan Bistrup hit a missile ground ball to the right of the Rangers shortstop. Hildebrandt tried to advance to third but was caught in a rundown and tagged out. Nintze and Gay were retired to end the game.
Game Three:
The Grizzlies started game two off with an intention to bury the Rangers. Bistrup tripled in the first and was brought in by Nintze to score the first run of the game. Regis tied the game in the bottom half of the first with a base hit. In the top of the second inning, right fielder Paul Giglio singled on an infield hit and Solis scored on a throwing error. Nintze continued his hot day with the bat with a double to score Giglio. Gay scorched a ball into the gap to drive in Bistrup and Nintze. Cameron Brosh, who was the designated hitter for game two, doubled to right field to score Gay. Brosh later scored on another error by the Rangers. The inning featured six runs with two outs.
Regis didn’t go down quietly as they bounced back four runs in their half of the inning. After the Regis bullpen haltered the Grizzlies’ bats with runners in scoring position, the momentum shifted in their favor. After a long bottom of the fourth, the Rangers tagged the Grizzlies bullpen for eight runs. After two more runs in the fifth, Regis led the Grizzlies, 15-7. The Grizzlies continued to struggle hitting the ball with runners on. Regis continued the blowout with five more runs in the sixth inning. The Rangers took game three, 20-8.
Game Four:
The Grizzlies continued to score in the first inning. After a Hildebrandt triple and Bistrup groundout, the Grizzlies took an early lead. The Grizzlies’ pitching struggled to keep the ball in the park as the Rangers tallied six homeruns, including two grand slams. The Grizzlies’ bright spot in the game was another homerun by Jared Gay, putting him at nine for the season. Gay now holds the single-season record for homeruns for the Adams State program. The Rangers’ offense couldn’t be stopped in a 24-4 rout of Adams State.
When asked about the series, shortstop Dakota Solis felt like the Grizzlies could have done more. “We felt like we left a lot on the table. We felt like we could’ve stolen a couple games. Ultimately, we didn’t get the job done.”
The Grizzlies will return to action this weekend in their final series of the year as they take on the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys at the ASU Baseball Field.
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