GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. – No. 2 UT Tyler is headed back to Cary.
The Patriots knocked off No. 1 Colorado Mesa 8-5 on Saturday night at The Diamond to capture the South Central Super Regional title and advance to the NCAA Division II College World Series for the second consecutive season. UT Tyler once again went on the road and eliminated the South Central Region's top seed to earn its trip to Cary, North Carolina.
After Colorado Mesa entered the night averaging more than 15 runs per game during the postseason, the Patriots pitching staff delivered its biggest performance of the year, limiting the Mavericks to just five runs while stranding 14 runners on base.
UT Tyler wasted no time offensively, striking first in the opening inning. Connor Clark ripped a leadoff double down the right field line before Brock Bearden drew a walk and Tanner Hornback dropped down a bunt single to load the bases. Cole Ketzner brought home the first run on a fielder's choice before Drew Schmidt followed with an RBI single through the left side to make it 2-0.
Colorado Mesa answered with a leadoff homer in the bottom half before the Patriots immediately responded again in the second. Clark singled and later stole second before Hornback delivered an RBI single through the left side. Schmidt stayed hot with another RBI single to extend the lead to 4-1.
The Mavericks cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the second after loading the bases, but Tyler Puckett entered in relief and helped limit the damage. Puckett settled the game down from there, tossing four innings of relief while allowing no runs and helping swing momentum back toward the Patriots.
UT Tyler added another run in the third after Spencer Simpson singled and Travis Bragg delivered a pinch-hit single to put runners on the corners. Bearden brought home the run with an RBI fielder's choice to push the lead to 5-3.
The Patriots created more separation in the fourth when Schmidt singled to center before Kaston Mason crushed a two-run home run to left field, extending the advantage to 7-3.
Colorado Mesa threatened multiple times over the middle innings, but UT Tyler continued to answer defensively. The Patriots turned two double plays on the night while Puckett and Coleson Abel combined to strand seven runners between the third and eighth innings.
Hornback added an insurance run in the seventh inning with another RBI single after Bryce Jewell and Bragg were both hit by pitches to put traffic on the bases.
Colorado Mesa mounted one final push in the bottom of the seventh, cutting the lead to 8-5 with a two-run double, but Abel escaped further damage with a strikeout before Noah Lindt entered in the eighth and shut the door.
Lindt worked the final four outs of the game and finished the night by inducing a game-ending double play to send the Patriots back to Cary.
UT Tyler finished with 14 hits offensively, led by Schmidt's four-hit performance. Hornback added three hits and two RBI, while Mason drove in two runs with his second home run of the Super Regional. Clark reached base twice and scored two runs, while Simpson added two hits at the bottom of the order.
Puckett earned the win in relief after allowing just four hits across four scoreless innings. Abel added 2.2 innings with four strikeouts before Lindt recorded the save.
The Patriots will now head to Cary, North Carolina for the NCAA Division II College World Series, marking the second straight season UT Tyler has reached the national championship site.
