By Gregory Karp, Feb. 14, 2023
The Broncos hosted the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Mountain Lions on Feb. 3-5, sweeping their opening four-game set at Scolinos Field.
Head coach Randy Betten spoke on the delayed yet driven scoring from the Broncos in the later innings of his team’s season opening 4-0 shutout victory.
“I thought we played great,” said Betten. “We had some chances to score, and we didn’t get it done. I thought that was just nervous energy, but then we continued to grind it out. The three spot there in the seventh was nice to separate us a little bit.”
Starting pitcher Rhys Stevens held the Mountain Lions at bay for five innings, striking out eight and walking two. Pitcher Caleb Reyes subsequently got to work striking out four batters and walking one, closing the final three innings.
The Broncos drew first blood in the fifth as infielder and pitcher Cedrick Perez drove in outfielder Trent MacKinney with a sacrifice fly.
First baseman Marco Malerba then ripped a single through the left side in the seventh, scoring both outfielder Nin Burns II and MacKinney. Carrying the momentum into the seventh, catcher Johnny Pappas hit a single and plated Malerba for the final 4-0 score.
In his CPP debut, MacKinney hit two out of the nine hits from the home team. He spoke about his excitement on the field, expressing enthusiasm for his new team and complimenting their playing skills.
“I was having fun,” said MacKinney. “Baseball’s a lot more fun when you win, and it was great to see the team come together on all sides of the field. Defense and outfield were amazing. I’m very excited for what we have going on this year.”
Opening up game two on Feb. 4’s double-header, UCCS infielder Brad Madison drove a ground ball through shortstop, going to first and advancing to third from a line drive by Caleb Stubbings.
UCCS outfielder Kasey Campbell drew a walk, loading the bases with one out in the first and providing immediate danger to the Broncos.
Carlo Flores calmed his nerves and drew a double play from infielder Keegan Sueltz to put out the early fire.
The Broncos capitalized on their foe’s missed chance by a triple from outfielder Brent Cota, who scored on a line drive from Dante Palacio. The outfielder’s quick stride to third was impressive, taught to him by none other than coach Betten.
“Coach Betten really preaches aggressive abandonment base running,” said Cota. “And so, I just got a little spark going with that.”
Burns singled, took second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Perez directed Burns home on a single to right field followed by a double from Ben Lee to score Malerba and Perez for the 4-0 lead in the third.
The big inning for the Bronco bats continued as infielder Jordan Ku hit a fly into right field, sending Perez to third and scoring alongside Malerba, following a double from Catcher Ben Lee down the infield line with two RBIs.
Batting in the eighth, UCCS infielder Caleb Stubbings singled to third base side and advanced to second from a right field single hit by Campbell.
Sueltz grounded into a double play from second to first, buying time for Stubbings to advance to third.
Hit by a wild pitch, Luis Samorano proceeded to first, followed by catcher Evan Steinberger who singled to left field and scored Stubbings in the eighth.
In the home half of the eighth, Bronco bats put the game away with a solo homer from third baseman Tyler Chaffee. Soon after, Perez drove in two additional runs on a double hit to left center, followed by a two RBI base-hit from Malerba, leading the Broncos 9-1 against UCCS.
In the ninth, UCCS pitcher Joe McDermott gave up an additional run to Malerba on a balk, totaling 10 runs for the Broncos. Malerba concluded the game, hitting three and scoring two runs for the 10-1 victory.
Game three began with an assault from the Broncos, scoring four in the first before UCCS could catch a breath.
UCCS pitching suffered a breakdown in the first, allowing three runs by Perez, Cota and Burns on a throwing error. With a groundout to shortstop by Ku to score Lopez, the Broncos secured a 4-0 lead in quick succession.
The home team squeezed an additional three runs out of UCCS in the third, where Lopez singled into the right side, advancing Malerba to third and scoring Perez. A fly into center field from Ku kept the ball rolling for the Broncos, plating Malerba for a 6-0 and growing lead.
Things were not looking up for UCCS pitching when another run from Lopez by catcher Dylan Long’s sacrifice fly into right field closed the third 7-0.
The Mountain Lions finally put a run on the scoreboard in the fourth, as infielder Sueltz met a cheerful reception from his teammates in the dugout.
However, the Broncos were just warming up their offensive brutality towards the visiting team, bashing UCCS pitching with four runs by Perez, Cota, Lopez and Ku.
Returning at bat, UCCS outfielder Aaron Brakel singled up the middle and later proceeded to third from a single by outfielder Kit Wigington. Designated hitter Stubbings then walked after a full count by pitcher Drew D’Ambra, advancing Wigington to second.
The Mountain Lions witnessed a bittersweet conclusion to game three, as Sueltz grounded into a double play from third to first and infielder Madison delivering Stubbings home, before pitchers Scott Armstrong and Matt Orozco wrapped up the 11-3 game.
Game four observed the Mountain Lions scoring three off Bronco pitching, going down with an unwavering fight against the home defenders.
The lightning-fast Burns opened the first by hitting a double into left field, taking second on a steal and eventually going home from second by Cota.
The 0-3 visitors sought redemption in the second, hitting four and scoring two off Bronco pitcher Elias Jauregui.
With two outs in the second, infielder Chaffee hit down third base, taking second during a throwing error to first and sliding home from a line drive by MacKinney, ending the second 2-1.
Jordan Ku tripled a line drive and skimmed the right field line, gracefully sliding to third. Seeing an opportunity to score Ku in the fourth, Pappas delivered a line drive down left field to score Ku home for a 3-1 lead.
After a pitching change in the fifth, Eric Romo allowed another run from Brakel, driven home by Sueltz in a line drive to left field, 3-2.
By the bottom eighth, the Broncos altered their one-run lead into five, taming the Mountain Lions with a two-run double from Chaffee and a two-run single from Malerba.
In their final moments with two down in the eighth, UCCS outfielder Brakel drove one down left center field and into second baseman Ku’s glove, concluding the 10-3 game in the Broncos’ first series of the season.
The Broncos will return 1 p.m. Tuesday on the road to face Biola in a one off game before their next series.
Feature image by Darren Loo
