GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – After the home team too game two of the four-game series, California Baptist University was out to show its 14-run victory over third-ranked Colorado Mesa in NCAA Division II the day before was no fluke in the second half of its Friday doubleheader with the Mavericks.
 
The Lancers did just that, as they took a four-run lead into the bottom of the ninth at Suplizio Field, but CMU launched a frantic and furious comeback. Everything went the Mavericks way en route to a 9-8 walk-off victory in Friday's nightcap, as they swept the day after winning the second game of the series 10-3 earlier in the day.
 
CBU slips to 5-4 despite the impressive showing against the Mavericks, who improved to 7-2. The Lancers will look to earn a series split with the 2014 Division II runner-up team in the series finale Saturday at 11 a.m.
 
Luke Navigato went 5-for-9 with three runs batted in and another scored in both games Friday. Zack Norris was 4-for-8 with a double, triple and four runs scored for the Lancers, who had Andy Crowley go 4-for-10 with a double, while Antonio Chavarria, Jake Gallaway and Antoun all collected three hits.
 
The Lancers scored first in Friday's finale. Norris drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on a Navigato single before coming home on a sacrifice fly from Stephen Lohr.
 
CMU would score the next four runs to take a 4-1 lead into the seventh inning. That's when CBU's lineup came to life and exploded for seven runs on eight hits.
 
Like the first, Norris grabbed a leadoff walk and moved over to second on a Navigato single. Crowley singled aboard with a bunt to third base that drew a throwing error and scored Norris to bring the visitors within 4-2.
 
Lohr plated Navigato with a single through the middle of the field to pull the Lancers within 4-3. A fly ball appeared to calm the rally and record the second out. Antoun stepped up to the plate to start a two-out rally, but fell behind 0-2 in the count. He then worked his way even at 2-2 before he turned on a pitch and doubled into right field to score Lohr and tie the game at 4-4.
 
The Mavericks turned to their closer Tyler Ehlers to end the scoring spree, but his first pitch was met flush by Brian Ruhm's bat. The sophomore left fielder crushed a no-doubter over the right-field fence for his third home run of the year and a 6-4 Lancer lead.
 
CBU was not done, as Gallaway sent a 1-2 single up the middle. Norris came back up and scored Gallaway, who stole second, with another base hit into center field. Navigato capped the seven-run frame with a single into center field that plated John Taurinsky, who was hit by a pitch.
 
Stephen Carajabal threw two great innings of relief to send the Lancers into the bottom of the ninth with their 8-4 lead in place. The Mavericks put their first three runners on base with consecutive hits and a walk. With no outs, CMU did not look back and scored five runs to complete a furious comeback, as all the breaks went their way to help it escape with the victory.
 
CBU managed to outhit the Mavericks in Friday's opener, 13-12. Norris, Navigato, Crowley, Chavarria and Taylor Wetzel all had two hits in the game, while Navigato drove in two runs.
 
Earlier in the day, Colorado Mesa struck first and took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but the Lancers came back with a run of its own in the second to tie the game up. Chavarria lined a one-out single into left field and then more to third on a double into the right-center gap from Antoun. Taylor Wetzel cashed in the lead runner with a sacrifice fly into right field.
 
The Lancers scored again in the third to take a 2-1 lead. Norris generated the run with a one-out triple to the warning track in center field. He scored on an RBI grounder from Navigato.
 
Home runs from the Mavericks in the third and fourth innings gave the home team the biggest lead in the game so far, 4-2. CBU did not let up and pulled back within a run in the fifth. Norris led off with a 1-2 double into center and then scored a RBI single from Navigato into center field.
 
CMU's offense kept pushing, and Ryan Reno bounced back from a few tough innings to hold the Lancers in check the rest of the way to a 10-3 victory.