DENVER—Another extra innings affair did not go Adams State University's way on Friday as the Grizzlies fell to Regis University, 4-3, in ten innings. The game served as Adams State's 2017 RMAC Opener. On Saturday, ASU played their fourth consecutive extra inning affair during an 8-7 game one defeat against Regis University. The Grizzlies went on to fall 10-8 in game two. Sunday they fell 10-7.

In the bottom of the first,  in Friday's game, a hit baseman and walk set the stage for a Regis (8-7, 2-3 RMAC)  RBI single to place the Rangers with an early 1-0 lead. The frame began promising as starting pitcher Daniel Brennan retired his initial two batters with groundouts. Further damage was halted as catcher Michael Downs' throw to Marco Garmendia at third base caught Christian Bitar on a steal attempt.

Downs would tie the game 1-1 in the third as the senior ripped a RBI double into leftfield to score Dustin Kachel from first base. Kachel preceded Downs' hit with a walk.  A passed ball quickly advanced Downs to third as Evan Weidner then connected for an opposite field double to score Downs and push ASU out in front, 2-1. The Rangers tied it up at 2-2 in the bottom of the third as a bases loaded wild pitch by Brennan brought Logan Heflebowe in across home plate.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the eighth as Regis hit three consecutive singles to produce the go-ahead run. Ryan Ferguson took to the mound to begin the frame, replacing Brennan. Ferguson's start to his relief outing did not go as planned as Max Fabricant and Ryan Tierney hit back-to-back singles followed by Josh Newell's RBI single. Ferguson escaped any further harm by forcing a double play and fly out.

Dylan April brought a quick end to Regis' lead in the top of the ninth as the senior sent a ball to deep left center to score Ryne Niemi from second base.

The Grizzlies went down in order in their half of the 10th as the Rangers grabbed a run in the bottom of the 10th to seal a 4-3 win. With two outs and runners on first and third for Regis, a Beau Lofink wild pitch scored Fabricant to end the game.

In defeat, Weidner went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a RBI. Downs hit 1-for-5 with a double, run scored, and RBI as Garmendia went 2-for-3 with a walk and stolen base.

Lofink (0-1) received the loss in 1.2 innings.

With the starting nod, Brennan lasted 7.0 innings with eight strikeouts, three walks, three hits, and two runs allowed. Ferguson pitched 1.0 innings with one run allowed off two hits.

The Grizzlies jumped to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first as ASU's initial five batters recorded a hit. ASU's first four hits accomplished a team cycle as Dustin Kachel connected for a leadoff triple followed by a Michael Downs double, Evan Weidner home run, and a Thomaslee Mares single.  Downs' RBI double to center field and Weidner's two RBI home run to right field pushed ASU to a 3-0 lead. A Dylan April RBI groundout produced another run. Weidner's deep fly marked the program's first home run of the season.

In the bottom of the frame, pitcher Bailey Garcia retired his first two batters but three consecutive hits allowed the Rangers to get on the board and cut the deficit to 4-1.

The Grizzlies pushed two more runs across home plate in the third as April and Tony Stanich connected for RBI singles. In the bottom of the inning the Rangers closed the deficit to 6-5 with four runs off three hits.

The Rangers placed a man in scoring position in the sixth as Garcia was pulled after an apparent injury for reliever Mason Munford. Needing just one out, Munford made quick work of Ryan Tierney with a strikeout to preserve a 6-5 ASU lead.

A Regis walk, hit by pitch, and fielder's choice to begin the seventh brought an end to Munford's outing as Head Coach Jim Capra called on lefty reliever Dylan Sherry to get the last three outs of the game. Sherry struck out his first batter but a walk that followed loaded the bases. A second consecutive walk by Sherry brought in the game-tying run for Regis to force extra innings.

A Weidner RBI triple to left center gave ASU a 7-6 lead in their half of the 10th. The play scored Kachel who reached on a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.

Pitching woes continued, however, in the bottom of the 10th as Regis' Max Fabricant's leadoff triple helped tie the game again at 7-7. Fabricant scored off a RBI double from Josh Newell. After Newell's hit, Sherry was pulled for Beau Lofink who gave up a RBI single to the second batter he faced to give Regis a 8-7 win.

Weidner hit 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored to finish a double shy of the cycle. Downs and Thomaslee Mares each added two hits apiece in defeat. Lofink (0-2) picked up the loss as Garcia lasted 5.2 innings in a starting spot. Garcia allowed five runs off eight hits with six strikeouts.

The Grizzlies scored six in the first inning as Kachel started the game with a leadoff solo shot to left field. Later in the frame, Mares added a two RBI single up the middle as Nick Hill connected for a two RBI single to left field. Stanich also brought in a run off a RBI groundout. The hot inning included six runs off five hits. Regis loaded the bases in the bottom of the first as pitcher Josh Keaton gave up two walks and a wild pitch. However, the senior exited the frame unharmed with a strikeout.

Keaton was not as fortunate in the second as the Rangers scored six runs to tie the game. Regis had a pair of doubles in the frame as Christian Bitar's three RBI double made it 6-4. Andrew Bryniarski and Zach Dedin followed with RBI singles to knot the game at 6-6. Regis went on top 8-6 in the fourth in what would be Keaton's final inning on the mound.

Marco Garmendia's RBI sacrifice fly in the fifth cut the ASU deficit to 8-7 but Regis answered with a two-run bottom of the fifth to increase the lead to 10-7.

Adams State's final run came in the seventh off a Garmendia single to score Mares.

Mares finished the final game of the twinbill 3-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored, and two stolen bases. Garmendia hit 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored as Kachel went 2-for-4 including his leadoff homer in the first. Nick Hill finished 1-for-3 with two RBI and a stolen base.

Keaton (2-1) allowed eight runs off 11 hits in 4.0 innings. The senior struck out six but walked four and had two wild pitches. Ryan Ferguson and Adam Molina also spent time on the mound in relief during the loss. Marco Garmendia and Ryne Niemi had back-to-back home runs for Adams State University during a 10-7 defeat at Regis University on Sunday.

In the series finale Garmendia hit 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored as Niemi went 1-for-4 with a RBI, run scored, and two walks. Evan Weidner added a 3-for-5 day with three RBI and a run scored.
Casey Weber (1-2) took the loss in 5.2 innings pitched; allowing eight runs off 11 hits. Weber walked five batters along with a wild pitch and a balk.

Weidner's two RBI single gave the Grizzlies (6-12, 0-4 RMAC) a 2-0 lead in the third. The Rangers (11-7, 5-3 RMAC) posted a run in the bottom of the frame but Adams State extended the lead to 5-1 in the fourth thanks to back-to-back homers from Garmendia and Niemi to begin the inning. Dustin Kachel brought in another run with a single.

The Rangers took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the fourth as Regis accounted for five runs off four hits. The Rangers recorded three extra-base hits and took advantage of a Weber balk, hit baseman, and wild pitch in the frame.

The lead swung back to Adams State thanks to a two-run sixth inning. After a leadoff double by Nick Hill, Weidner brought his teammate in to score with a double of his own. Two batters later, Garmendia collected his final RBI of the day with a single to bring Weidner across home plate.

The 7-6 lead would not hold as two more Regis runs scored in the bottom half of the sixth inning.

Andrew Bryniarski's extended the Regis lead to 10-7 with a two RBI home run in the eighth.
In the ninth, Garmendia notched his third hit of the day but ASU was unable to score. Adams State is next in action on March 17th at 3pm to begin a four-game home series with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS). It'll be the first-ever meeting between the two as UCCS is in their inaugural season.