Ian McKnight singled with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Mesa State a 16-15 win over Metro State in the first game of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference baseball tournament Wednesday in Kearney, Neb.
Metro, the No. 4 seed, rallied from a 14-11 deficit to tie the game in the top of the ninth, getting a leadoff home run from first baseman Jordan Stouffer — his third of the game — and an RBI single from pinch-hitter Mike Coffey. The tying run then scored on a wild pitch. The Roadrunners went ahead 15-14 on a fielder’s choice. Third-seeded Mesa tied the game in the bottom of the frame when center fielder Brian Bello beat out a bases-loaded chopper up the middle.
The two teams combined for 34 hits and nine home runs. Brett Nigbur had two two-run homers for the Mavericks.
• Top-seeded New Mexico Highlands had little trouble in the second game, dropping sixth-seed Regis 18-4.
• In the final game, Jared Loschen pitched a complete game and second-seed Nebraska-Kearney beat No. 5 seed Colorado State-Pueblo 5-1.
DU hoops signs La. standout.
University of Denver men’s basketball coach Joe Scott received a commitment from 6-foot-8 forward Matt LeBato of Sulphur, La., who led his high school team to a 30-6 record and a 20-game winning streak before losing in the quarterfinals of the state tournament.
LeBato also played guard while averaging 14.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists, and Scott likes his shooting and ballhandling skills. “He needs to mature physically,” Scott said, “but we have an experienced team coming back which will help him develop.”
Cardona wins decision.
Colorado’s Izaak Cardona earned a decision over Noel Esqueda of the Kansas-Oklahoma team in a first-round, 152-pound bout at the National Golden Gloves boxing tournament in Little Rock, Ark., late Tuesday.
At 178 pounds, Colorado’s Gildardo Garcia, from the Denver Police Brotherhood team, lost in the first round to Toledo’s Paul Parker. And Colorado’s Thomas Johnston was stopped in a first-round loss to Pennsylvania’s Mark Rideout in the heavyweight division.
CU’s Fressle to transfer.
University of Colorado sophomore guard Alyssa Fressle will transfer, new women’s basketball coach Linda Lappe announced.
Fressle, who averaged 7.8 points in starting all 30 games last season after a standout high school career at Highlands Ranch, cited personal reasons that have developed during the past academic year as the reason for her departure.
“After considerable reflection on my personal goals, I have decided to transfer. This is a decision that hasn’t been easy and that I have been contemplating for some time,” Fressle said. “While I have enjoyed my time at CU, this decision was made with the intention to follow my own heart.”
A first-team academic all-Big 12 Conference selection, Fressle leaves CU in good standing and will have to sit out next season if she transfers to a Division I school.
DU lacrosse stocks up.
The University of Denver men’s lacrosse team will graduate 10 seniors at the end of the season, and coach Bill Tierney is ready after signing 11 players to scholarship offers.
Harrison Archer (Washington, D.C.), Michael Pirone (North Bethesda, Md.), Jeremy Noble (Orangeville, Ontario) and Paul Danko (Towson, Md.) join an already-deep attack unit. “Offensively, these four will give us much needed depth and will be some very dynamic goal scorers,” Tierney said.
The Pioneers’ starting defenders all graduate, giving Harley Brown (New Canaan, Conn.), Matt Kramer (Littleton) and John Zurlo (Bernardsville, N.J.) a chance to play as freshmen. “Defensively, these three will provide us with some strength, toughness and athleticism,” Tierney said.
JP Shipley (White Hall, Md.), Nick Perfido (Heathrow, Fla.) and Cole Nordstrom (Bellevue, Wash.) are midfielders. Jamie Faus (Lakeville, Conn.) is a goalkeeper.
