GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. – No. 2 UT Tyler opened the South Central Super Regional with a 21-15 victory over No. 1 Colorado Mesa on Thursday night at The Diamond. The Patriots pounded out 18 hits, drew 10 walks, and blasted four home runs to take game one of the series.
Colorado Mesa struck first in the opening inning with a double and RBI single before adding two more runs in the second to take a 3-0 lead.
UT Tyler answered in a massive third inning that completely shifted the momentum. Connor Clark reached after being hit by a pitch and later scored when Brock Bearden launched a two-run home run to right field. Tanner Hornback and Cole Ketzner followed with singles before Drew Schmidt reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Kaston Mason tied the game after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Luke Smith gave the Patriots the lead with an RBI walk. Spencer Simpson then delivered a two-run single before Bryce Jewell added another RBI as UT Tyler exploded for seven runs to take a 7-3 advantage.
The Patriots added three more runs in the fourth when Mason crushed a three-run home run to right field, extending the lead to 10-3.
Colorado Mesa responded with a seven-run bottom half of the fourth inning, using four hits, four walks, a hit batter, and two sacrifice flies to even the game at 10-10.
UT Tyler immediately regained control in the fifth. Jewell and Clark opened the inning with singles before Bearden walked to load the bases. Hornback drew an RBI walk to push the Patriots back in front, and Mason later cleared the bases with a three-run double to left field. Smith capped the five-run frame with an RBI single as UT Tyler stretched the lead to 15-10.
Colorado Mesa cut into the deficit with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Patriots bullpen settled down over the next two innings to keep the Mavericks off the board.
UT Tyler added three more runs in the seventh after Schmidt singled and Mason drove in another run with an RBI single. Simpson followed with a two-run double down the right field line to push the lead to 18-12.
The Patriots added insurance in the eighth as Bearden launched his second home run of the night before Schmidt followed later in the inning with a solo shot to left center. UT Tyler tacked on one final run in the ninth when Bearden delivered an RBI single to score Simpson and make it 21-13.
Colorado Mesa scored twice in the bottom of the ninth, but Jacob Hadden entered to record the final two outs and secure the victory.
Offensively, every starting Patriot recorded a hit while four players drove in multiple runs. Mason led the way with an 8-RBI performance, going 3-for-4 with a home run, double, and four runs scored. Bearden finished 3-for-6 with two home runs and four RBI, while Simpson drove in four runs and Schmidt scored four times while adding three hits and a home run.
On the mound, Garrett Landry earned the win in relief, tossing three innings while striking out five. Noah Lindt added two innings out of the bullpen before Hadden closed out the ninth.
The Patriots and Mavericks return to action Friday night with UT Tyler one win away from advancing to the NCAA Division II College World Series in Cary, North Carolina.
