DENVER, Colo. - The No. 20 Metro State softball team swept a doubleheader with Western New Mexico on Saturday at Auraria Field in Denver, winning game one 6-1 and game two 8-3. The Roadrunners are now 18-4 overall and 11-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, while the Mustangs dropped to 4-14 overall and 2-8 in the RMAC.
Game 1 Christie Robinson cruised through the game, throwing her tenth complete game this spring, while allowing just a leadoff home run to start the game. She improved to 11-1 this season with the victory.
The Roadrunners spread around their seven hits, as no player had multiple hits in the game, but Lauren Hainlen and Jessica Haab each added home runs. Haab hit her team-leading seventh this season.
After allowing the leadoff home run to start the game, pitched around two more singles in the first inning to escape with just the one run allowed. After allowing three of the first four batters to reach, she set down 10 consecutive batters.
Metro State tied the game when Jennessa Tesone hit a two-out triple just out of the reach of the right fielder, to bring home Sarah Rusch.
The Roadrunners scored three in the second on an RBI single by Danni Hedstrom and a two-run home run by Jessica Haab.
They added two more in the sixth on Hainlen's two-run shot to left.
Game 2 Tara Mickelson led the team with three hits and Brittany Moss allowed just three runs in the fourth inning as the Roadrunners escaped with a come-from-behind victory in game two.
Corrie Nishikida and Lauren Hainlen each had two hits as well for the Roadrunners and Hainlen hit her second home run of the day. Sarah Rusch also belted a three-run home run in a six-run sixth inning.
Moss allowed just three hits--all in the fourth inning. The freshman also struck out a career-high 10 batters.
Metro State led 1-0 in the second. Nishikida hit a one-out single to left and stole second. She advanced to third on an infield single by Mickelson and scored as the Roadrunner attempted a double steal, but pinch runner Nicole Young was thrown out at second.
WNMU took a the lead in the fourth. After Moss had gone through the order without allowing a baserunner, Kortney Smith led off with a single and scored on Kristina Barr's three-run home run to left-center. Stephanie Bisgard with a shot to center to give the Mustangs back-to-back home runs. Moss then settled down and did not allow a hit the rest of the way.
Metro State scored one in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 3-2 on a sacrifice fly by Nishikida that scored Jennessa Tesone.
After a scoreless fifth, the Roadrunners took the lead in the sixth with a six-run inning. Hainlen led off with a home run to right to tie the game. After Nishikida doubled, Mickelson reached on another infield hit and Nishikida advanced to third. Danni Hedstrom then successfully squeezed Nishikida in with a bunt and the throw to first sailed into right field, advancing Mickelson to third. Hedstrom was thrown out trying to advance to second. After a fly out to shallow center, Amber Roundtree hit an RBI single to center to put the Roadrunner ahead 5-3. Rusch later hit a three-run shot to center.
The two teams will play another doubleheader on Sunday at Auraria Field at 11 a.m.
