MSU Denver Athletics

The 1987 baseball team featured three future Major League Baseball draft picks and posted a school record 34 wins, a record that stood until 2008.  The Roadrunners, led by NCAA Division II national batting champion Torin Berge, went 34-15 and won the Colorado Intercollegiate Baseball Association championship with an 18-1 league record.  Metro State was coached by Bill Helman, who also served as the athletic director.

Metro State won 10 straight games at one point during the season and finished second in the nation by .0002 in team batting average at .368.  Berge's .487 average led the nation and set the school record, a record that stood at the time of the team's induction.  He also was ninth in doubles per game at 0.39.  Teammate Jeff Ellis hit .423, finishing 26th in the country in hitting.  He was eighth nationally in stolen bases as Metro State swiped a school record 137 bases during the year.  Ellis' 41 steals was a school record at the time of induction, along with the other records this team set.

Despite the offensive stealing much of the thunder, the Roadrunner pitching staff was outstanding as well.  The team ERA of 5.37 remains the fifth-best in school history and at the team fell just short of the then-record of 5.28.

Eight players were named to the CIBA All-Star team, including first baseman Berge, second baseman Paul Marcely, third baseman Doug Montgomery, outfielder Ellis, pitchers Steve Ciberay, Mike Nussbaum and Anthony Cortez and designated hitter Craig Bonato.  In addition, outfielder Rusty Miller was an honorable mention selection.  Berge was selected as the league's player of the year as well.

Berge, Montgomery and Ciberay were all chosen to the ABCA All-West Region third team.

Pitchers Todd Goergen (20th round, Philadelphia) and Jay Estrada (29th round, San Diego) were both drafted in 1987.  Berge was chosen by the Cincinnati Reds in the 30th round in 1989.

1987 Baseball Roster