May 8, 2008

Baseball Rolls Regis in First Round of RMAC's

Orediggers Up Next

       Kearney, Neb. – Junior pitcher Ryan Sheldon tied two school records and the Nebraska-Kearney baseball team had another big day at the plate as the Lopers beat Regis, 16-8, Wednesday afternoon in an RMAC Tournament first round game in Grand Junction, Colo.

       Fourth-seeded UNK (30-25) will now play fifth-seed Colorado School of Mines (20-32), who upset third-seed Metro State, 11-4, in the early game Wednesday.  The Lopers and Orediggers will start off Thursday’s action at noon Central.

      Top-seed and tournament host Mesa State easily beat sixth-seed New Mexico Highlands, 13-3, in the final game Wednesday.

     After scoring 33 runs Sunday to sweep Colorado Mines, the Lopers’ offense remained hot Wednesday. UNK’s first two batters of the game were retired but the next seven safely reached base, six coming all the way around to score.

       Junior Leon de Winter (2 for 6, three runs, three RBI’s) started the two out rally with a two run single while seniors Chris Gillaspy (4 for 5, two runs, two RBI’s) and Tyler Keeble (2 for 5, three RBI’s) also had two run hits in the inning.

      UNK would make it 10-0 by scoring four in the third. The big hit was a three run triple from senior Trey Howell (2 for 5, two runs, three RBI’s).. Finally, sophomore Blake Cover (3 for 5, two runs three RBI’s) hit a three run homer, his fifth of the year, in the fifth.

     Sheldon (Kearney H.S.) didn’t need all the run support as he blanked the Rangers for the first three innings. In six full innings, he gave up four runs on 10 hits and two walks.

       The right hander also struck out four, pushing his season total to 93, tying Neal Arnold’s school record. And by winning his eighth game, Sheldon becomes just the seventh Loper pitcher to have won eight games in a single season (8-4).

      At the plate, UNK had 17 hits with six different players having multi-hit efforts. Showing a balanced attack, five players at least two RBI’s in the win. This also marked the Lopers' fifth straight RMAC Tournament win, dating back to last season. Pictured below is Sheldon-Gillaspy.