GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Scoring runs in seven different innings on Thursday at Canyon View Ballpark, No. 2 Colorado Mesa University opened its series against the Montana State University Billings baseball team with a 15-5 victory.
 
The Mavericks (5-0) overcame a four-run deficit after the top of the first inning, and powered their way to their fifth straight win to start the season. Eight different Mavericks had multiple hits in the game, as CMU totaled 19 hits while taking advantage of four MSUB errors.
 
James Anderson hit his second home run in as many games for the 'Jackets, and Cooper Dulich hit the first long ball of his Yellowjacket career on Thursday. Reigning Great Northwest Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week Dylan Barkley logged four innings in his third start of the year, surrendering eight runs on 11 hits with two strikeouts and two walks. MSUB slipped to 4-5 with its second straight defeat.
 
The Yellowjackets jumped on CMU starter Ryan Day, plating four runs in the top of the first inning to take the early lead. Carson Green drew a leadoff walk to start the rally, and after a single off the bat of Dominick Buso, Tyler Godfrey plated the first run with a base hit to right field. Anderson delivered the big blow, hitting his second home run of the season with a three-run shot to left. "We got off to a good start with the Anderson home run, and I liked how we came to play with confidence and energy," MSUB head coach Derek Waddoups said. "We had some defensive miscues that we need to clean up against a quality opponent."
 
An RBI-triple by Caleb Farmer and a sacrifice fly by Haydn McGeary got the Mavericks two runs back in the bottom of the first, and Farmer followed with a two-out, two-run single into left field in the second inning to pull the score even at 4-4. Spencer Bramwell's homer in the third inning gave CMU its first lead of the day up 6-4, and the Mavericks ended Barkley's outing in the fifth inning bringing home two more runs to make it 8-5.
 
The Yellowjackets got a run back in the top of the fourth, when Dulich cleared the fence in left field for the first big fly of his collegiate career. Reliever Blake Rainey did well to limit CMU when he entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs in the fifth and held the Mavericks to just one run on a sacrifice fly. The right-hander limited CMU to a pair of runs with two strikeouts and no walks in his two innings of work. "I thought we would make a run in the middle innings after the Dulich home run," Waddoups said. "Rainey threw really well in relief, but we just didn't get enough offensive and defensive support today."
 
MSUB failed to score after Dulich's home run, as Gage Edwards and Blake Rohm combined to throw five shutout innings in relief of Day. The duo combined to strike out five and allow just two hits, with Edwards collecting the victory. CMU added two runs in the fifth, sixth, and eighth, with a three-run seventh inning to help solidify the win.
 
McGeary led the Mavericks by going 4-for-5 with two RBIs, while Chase Hamilton was 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs. "Credit to CMU as they played a cleaner game against us," said Waddoups. "We just need to take better care of the baseball. As we take care of us, I know we can compete with this team."
 
THE BUZZ: Dulich was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…MSUB is now 3-12 all-time against CMU with all 15 games occurring in Grand Junction.
 
TOMORROW: The four-game series continues on Friday with a doubleheader scheduled for 11 a.m. at Canyon View park. Live video will be available online here and live statistics will be available online here.