Box Score Kearney, Neb. – Colorado School of Mines rallied from three deficits and scored three unearned runs to eliminate Nebraska-Kearney, 10-8, from the 2012 RMAC Tournament Thursday afternoon in Pueblo, Colo.

The fifth-seeded Lopers end the year at 18-33. This was UNK's final RMAC event in any sport.

The sixth-seeded Orediggers (17-29) win an RMAC tourney game for the second time in school history and will play an opponent to be determined on Friday afternoon.

After scoring seven runs in its last four games, the Loper bats woke up for a while today. UNK scored runs in each of the first four innings to lead by scores of 1-0, 2-1 and 6-2.

During this stretch, senior 3b Mike Nowak (Omaha Roncalli) hit his second homer of the year, a two-run shot to left, with junior RF Brian Wuest (Prosper, Texas) belting his team-leading 11th homer  to right center.

Wuest (4 for 5, two runs thee RBI's) finished a single short of the cycle as he had two doubles and a triple in addition to his solo dinger.

After not scoring in the fifth, the Lopers were blanked by Mines reliever Peter Herrin (4-3) in the sixth and seven innings. That allowed the 'Diggers to come back as they scored a run in the fourth, three in the fifth and two more in the seventh.

Mines tied things at six in the fifth thanks to two hits and three hit batters. They did, however, leave the bases loaded. For the game, the 'Diggers left 15 runners on base with Loper starter Adam Peters (Lincoln SW) working out of several early jams.

In the fateful seventh, Mines second baseman Kyle Wallace (4 for 6, four RBI's) hit a one out double. After a ground moved Wallace to third, designated hitter Brett Olsson hit an infield pop up that was dropped by the Lopers.  

Olsson then stole second and scored on a Loper throwing error. On the play, UNK first baseman Eric Ringblom threw home and junior catcher Chandler Klute seemingly tagged Olsson but he was ruled safe.

UNK did score a single run in its half of the eighth but Mines scored two insurance runs in its half of the eighth to make it a 10-7 game.

In the Loper ninth, Klute brought home Wuest with a double to left. However, for a second straight day, the potential tying run was left at third as UNK struck out to end the game.

Besides Wuest, redshirt freshman Reid Carter (3 for 4, two runs) and Dillon Schroeder (2 for 5, two runs) had big days at the plate.