COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Opening its weekend series with a pair of defeats on Friday at Mountain Lion Field, the Montana State University Billings baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader against University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
 
The Mountain Lions opened their 2021 season 2-0, by quieting MSUB's offense 4-1 in the opener before picking up a 9-7 comeback win in Game 2. The Yellowjackets' season-opening losing skid extended to six games with the losses, as MSUB moved to 0-6 on the year with two more narrow defeats. "Offensively in Game 1 we had a lot of loud outs, and we hit a lot of balls right at them," said MSUB head coach Derek Waddoups. "Connor Redmond was really dominant on the mound, and he and Sterling Lay both threw awesome today."
 
Daniel Cipriano tied the MSUB all-time home run record, as his solo homer in Game 1 proved to be MSUB's only run in the opener. With his 27th career home run, Cipriano moved into a tie with Ryan Myers ('18) for the most long balls in program history. "He has put in so much hard work, especially going through a tough COVID year and coming back," said Waddoups. "As good of a baseball player he is, he's just a better person. He cares so much about his teammates, so it is awesome to see him have individual success. That's what makes that record so special; he would talk about how it is the other people who have helped him."
 
Game 1 – UC Colorado Springs 4, MSU Billings 1
 
Cipriano wasted no time in tying the MSUB all-time home run mark, launching a solo shot over the fence in right-center field to give the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
 
It proved to be the only chink in the armor of the UCCS pitching staff however, as Daniel Silva earned his first win of the year with seven stellar innings and Jon Sotto finished the game for the save. Silva struck out four and walked none, while scattering five hits over his seven innings of work. Sotto meanwhile allowed just one hit while striking out three and walking none over the final two innings.
 
Facing a high-stress bottom of the second inning, Redmond got leadoff hitter Walker Rumsey to fly out to center field and end the frame with the bases left full of Mountain Lions.
 
UCCS took advantage of a defensive miscue in the bottom of the third inning, and turned it into a four-run frame to take its first lead of the day. Jake Anderson started the rally with an RBI-double to right center, and the big swing of the bat was a two-run homer by Evan Richards that made it a 4-1 ballgame.
 
Redmond wound up going five innings, allowing eight hits and four unearned runs while striking out four and walking a pair. Sterling lay threw the final three innings, allowing just three hits in his second strong appearance of the season.
 
MSUB's best chance to get back into the game came in the seventh inning, when Tanner Cantwell and Justin Lutz led off with back-to-back singles. Silva retired the next three hitters however, finishing his outing by stranding the tying run at the plate.
 
Ryan Schmidt went 3-for-4 for UCCS in the opener while Brayden Clark was the lone Yellowjacket with multiple hits as he went 2-for-4 in the game.
 
Game 2 – UC Colorado Springs 9, MSU Billings 7 (7 Innings)
 
Back-to-back one-out singles by Clark and Chris Arpan put the tying run on base in the top of the seventh inning. UCCS reliever Nate Jenkins dug deep however, retiring the final two hitters to end the game and pick up the save.
 
Carson Green finished the game a home run shy of hitting for the cycle, as he went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a pair of runs scored. "Carson stepped up and got our offense going," Waddoups said. "He's an energizer bunny, and he stepped in there and did a good job."
 
Cipriano roped a two-run double to left and Arpan followed with an RBI-single to give MSUB a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. The Mountain Lions got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the frame, before the 'Jackets opened up with four runs in the top of the second.
 
Ethan Babcock-Barrie punched a double to left in his first collegiate at-bat, and a three-run triple off the bat of Green gave MSUB a 6-2 lead. Cipriano followed with his third RBI of the game, as the 'Jackets pulled ahead by five runs early. "Ethan was outstanding behind the plate, and did a great job blocking baseballs," said Waddoups. "We got the go-ahead run to the plate in the seventh, but it just didn't happen. I like that we are in every game and still giving ourselves a chance to win. We just have a few more little things to work on and we'll be in the right spot."
 
 
Three walks and a three-run home run by Rumsey turned the tables in the bottom of the third, as UCCS scored six times to take an 8-7 lead. Michael Bennin had a two-run double in the inning as well, and the Mountain Lions drove MSUB starter Matthew Houlihan from the game after 2 1/3 innings. The right-hander finished with eight runs allowed on six hits with three strikeouts and five walks.
 
Joseph Harris took the mound with two outs and two runners on in the top of the fourth, and proceeded to retire the next four batters as he got UCCS out of the jam and kept the lead in his team's hands.
 
UCCS starter Brian Marquez went two innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Christopher Bryant was also effective in relief for the Mountain Lions, allowing just one walk and one hit while striking out four in 1 2/3 innings of shutout relief.
 
Tyler Elliott put together an outstanding bullpen appearance for the 'Jackets, striking out four and walking none while allowing one unearned run on two hits and throwing the final 3 1/3 innings of the game. "Tyler Elliott threw great out of the 'pen and gave us a chance to win the game," Waddoups commented on the right-hander.
 
MSUB left seven runners on base in the nightcap, while the Mountain Lion offense was efficient and stranded just three runners.
 
THE BUZZ: Cipriano was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…Friday marked the first-ever meeting between the Yellowjackets and Mountain Lions…Cipriano also reached the minimum threshold of 250 at-bats in order to qualify for MSUB's all-time percentage-based stat categories, and in doing so became the Yellowjackets' career leader in batting average (.383) and slugging percentage (.797).
 
NEXT UP: The series wraps up on Saturday morning with a 10 a.m. first pitch at Mountain Lion Field. Live video will be available online here and live stats will be available online here for Saturday's doubleheader.