By: A.J. Vazquez, Strategic Communications & Marketing Intern
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - Day four of the 2026 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Baseball Championship featured high-scoring matchups and the completion of the tournament bracket at The Diamond at Hamilton Ballpark on the campus of Colorado Mesa University.
Two teams were eliminated, while Colorado Mesa emerged from the elimination side of the bracket to claim the tournament title. The previous night, the Mavericks defeated previously undefeated Metropolitan State University Denver to advance to the championship round, forcing the Roadrunners into an elimination game against Colorado School of Mines this afternoon. The Orediggers outlasted MSU Denver, 13-11, to end the Roadrunners’ tournament run and advance to the championship matchup.
In the title game, Colorado Mesa overcame an early deficit and used a 10-run sixth inning to defeat Colorado School of Mines, 20-11, securing the 2026 RMAC Baseball Tournament Championship and the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
Game 10: No. 5 Colorado School of Mines def. No. 2 MSU Denver, 13-11
No. 5 Colorado School of Mines held off a late rally from No. 2 MSU Denver to claim a 13-11 victory in Saturday’s first elimination game of the day.
MSU Denver struck first in the opening inning, taking a 2-0 lead on an RBI single from Noah Wicks and a sacrifice fly from Lathan Buzard. Colorado School of Mines answered immediately with back-to-back solo home runs from Garrett Duvall and Tyler Pina to even the score.
The Roadrunners regained the lead in the third inning when Royce Vandine drove in Wicks with an RBI single, but the Orediggers responded with four runs in the bottom half of the inning to move in front 6-3.
MSU Denver answered in the fourth, as Jared Swarbrick launched a three-run home run to center field to tie the game at 6-6. Colorado School of Mines responded with the decisive inning in the bottom of the frame, plating seven runs to reclaim control. Alex Dunagan and Logan Parker each homered during the outburst, while Duvall added a double. RBI hits from Jack Babcock, Parker, and Tyler Hummel helped extend the Orediggers’ lead to 13-6.
MSU Denver chipped away over the final five innings, scoring once in the fifth before adding three runs in the sixth. Alek Martinez drove in a run after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Brayden Oram drew a bases-loaded walk, and Gavin Schmeh added an RBI fielder’s choice to trim the deficit to three. The Roadrunners added another run in the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate, but Colorado School of Mines recorded the final outs to secure the win.
Swarbrick led all players with five hits, finishing 5-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored. Wicks reached base four times for MSU Denver, going 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs scored, and an RBI, while Schmeh added two RBI.
Colorado School of Mines totaled 13 runs on the strength of five extra-base hits, including four home runs. Duvall, Dunagan, Pina, and Parker each homered for the Orediggers. MSU Denver’s bullpen settled the game after the fourth inning, as Alejandro Maltos-Garcia, Drew Peters, and Carter Swan combined for 4.1 scoreless innings in relief.
Championship - Game 11: No. 1 Colorado Mesa def. No. 5 Colorado School of Mines, 20-11
No. 1 Colorado Mesa claimed the 2026 RMAC Baseball Tournament Championship with a 20-11 win over No. 5 Colorado School of Mines on Saturday evening, securing the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
Colorado School of Mines struck first with a four-run opening inning. Evan Bilter put the Orediggers on the board with an RBI single to left center that scored Alex Dunagan. Tyler Pina followed with an RBI single to right field, before Logan Parker added another RBI single through the left side. Tyler Hummel capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to right field, giving Colorado School of Mines an early 4-0 advantage.
Colorado Mesa responded by chipping away at the deficit and moved in front in the third inning. Jackson Lapiner highlighted the comeback effort with a solo home run to left-center, helping shift momentum after the early deficit.
The game remained competitive through the middle innings before Colorado Mesa broke it open in the sixth. The Mavericks plated 10 runs in the inning, turning a close contest into a double-digit advantage. Joey Blank opened the inning with a solo home run, while Colorado Mesa took advantage of multiple free passes, including three bases-loaded walks. Rocco DiFrancesco delivered the biggest swing of the inning with a bases-clearing double.
Colorado School of Mines continued to produce offensively but could not overcome the deficit. Colorado Mesa added four more runs in the ninth, highlighted by a two-run home run from Landon Nunes and a two-run single from DiFrancesco.
DiFrancesco led all players with seven RBI while going 3-for-6 with two runs scored. Lapiner scored four times for Colorado Mesa. The Mavericks used seven pitchers in the win, with Cayden Clark earning the victory in relief after allowing one run on one hit over 1.2 innings. Pina recorded a homerun along with four RBI, while Brody Duvall and Alex Dunagan each contributed two RBI for the Orediggers.
With the championship result, Colorado Mesa secured its 24th RMAC Tournament title and fourth consecutive tournament championship.
About the RMAC
The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, headquartered in Colorado Springs, is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 institutions located in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Utah. The RMAC currently competes in 22 NCAA Division II sports and has earned 71 national championships and 53 national runners-up since 1992. Founded in 1909, the RMAC is the most historic athletic conference in the western United States and Division II.
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