DENVER, Colo. - The No. 8 Metro State softball team split a doubleheader against Regis University on Wednesday at Auraria Field in Denver, winning game one 10-0 in five innings, before falling 3-2 in nine innings. The Roadrunners are now 25-5 overall and 18-2 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with both losses coming to Regis. The loss snapped a 13-game winning streak. The Rangers are now 21-14 overall and 14-7 in the RMAC.
Game 1
The Roadrunners knocked three home runs to win game one 10-0 in five innings. Christie Robinson tossed a one-hitter for Metro State, allowing just a leadoff single in the fourth inning. She struck out four and walked just one. Jennessa Tesone and Corrie Nishikida each led the Roadrunners with two hits. Nishikida, Tara Mickelson and Sarah Rusch each homered as well.
Metro State led 1-0 in the first as Tesone drove in Amber Roundtree, who led off by reaching on an error.
Two walks and a hit batter led to a three-run double by Kellie Nishikida in the second inning. She scored one batter later when Rusch reached on another Regis error.
Mickelson led off the third inning with her team-leading eighth home run this season. Corrie Nishikida and Danni Hedstrom later scored on a sacrifice fly by Lauren Hainlen and an RBI single by Roundtree.
The Roadrunners scored their final two runs in the fourth inning on solo home runs to left field by Rusch and Nishikida.
Game 2
Brittany Moss pitched all nine innings and struck out nine, but Metro State's offense fizzled as the Roadrunners had just six hits in game two and lost 3-2. Jessica Haab led the team with two hits, including a two-run home run.
Regis' Nikki Haberkorn struck out 10 batters, throwing all nine innings. She also had two hits, including a game-tying home run and scored the game-winning run in the ninth.
Metro State loaded the bases in the second inning with two outs as Corrie Nishikida and Lauren Hainlen were each hit by a pitch and Danni Hedstrom drew a walk. But Regis righthander Haberkorn got one of her 10 strikeouts to end the inning.
The Roadrunners took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning on Haab's two-run home run to right-center, scoring Nishikida.
Rangers shortstop Jamie Winsor hit an RBI single to score Amber Aragon-Autobee in the fifth inning. Trailing 2-1, Haberkorn ripped a 2-2 pitch over the right-center field wall to tie the game with nobody out in the top of the seventh.
Metro State's Sarah Rusch drew a one-out walk in the seventh but was stranded, sending the game into extra innings. Nishikida led off the eighth with a base hit and Hainlen walked with one out, but again Haberkorn got out of the jam with a strikeout and a line out to third base.
With one out in the top of the ninth, Haberkorn singled to right and following a sacrifice bunt, scored on Alisa Heronema's base hit to center to put the Rangers ahead 3-2. Metro State went down in order in the ninth.
The Roadrunners will host Colorado School of Mines on Saturday and Sunday for a four-game series, weather permitting.
