DENVER, Colo. - The No. 8 Metro State softball team split a doubleheader on Sunday against Colorado School of Mines at Auraria Field, winning game one 13-2 in five innings, before dropping a 3-2 decision in game two. Metro State dropped to 26-6 overall and 19-3 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference after the loss in game two, the second consecutive doubleheader split for the Roadrunners after splitting with Regis on Wednesday. CSM is now 21-14 overall and 13-7 in the RMAC.
Game 1 The Roadrunners scored 10 runs in the first two innings to cruise to a 13-2 victory in five innings. Danni Hedstrom belted two home runs and went 3-for-3 to lead the offense. Her two blasts were her first two home runs of the season. She also drove in five runs. Amber Roundtree also had three hits, while Kellie Nishikida and Tara Mickelson each hit home runs in the rout.
Christie Robinson earned the victory to improve to 16-1 this season. She has earned the victory in her past 15 appearances this year. The junior righthander struck out four and allowed just one earned run.
Colorado Mines got a leadoff walk by Kaleigh Starr to start the game and Margie Cone reached on an error to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Sarah Van Lingen then ripped a double to right-center to score Starr and advance Van Lingen to third. Following a ground out to the mound, Van Lingen was caught in a rundown between third and home following a failed squeeze for the second out. Robinson then caught Jackye Lagen looking at strike three to escape the jam.
Roundtree led off the bottom of the inning with a double. Following a ground out, Sarah Rusch was hit by a pitch and Jennessa Tesone reach on her first of three walks in the game to load the bases. Two runs scored as Tara Mickelson reached on an error to put the Roadrunners in front 2-1. After a strikeout, Hedstrom belted her first home run of the season to left, a three-run shot to put Metro State ahead 5-1.
The first four batters reached for Metro State in the second, forcing CSM starter Dani Murphy to the showers. Roundtree led off with a single and Nishikida ripped a home run to center for a 7-1 lead. Murphy left the game after allowing a single to Rusch and another walk to Tesone. Reliever Liz Kramer coaxed a ground out to the mound by Mickelson, but Corrie Nishikida delivered a two-run ground rule double to left, scoring Rusch and Tesone from second and third. Nishikida scored on an RBI single by Hedstrom to stretch Metro State's lead to 10-1.
After a scoreless third, the Roadrunners scored three in the fourth on a two-run homer by Mickelson and a solo shot by Hedstrom.
Colorado Mines scored a run in the fifth as three consecutive batters reached with two outs, but Robinson ended the game with her fourth strikeout of the day.
Game 2 Colorado Mines righthander Katie Kocman allowed just five hits and struck out seven to hand the Roadrunners a 3-2 loss. Jennessa Tesone and Danni Hedstrom each had two of Metro State's five hits. Kellie Nishikida had the other.
Freshman Brittany Moss allowed just six hits and two walks, while striking out 10 for the Roadrunners to suffer the tough loss.
Moss allowed a one-out infield single to Margie Cone and stranded her on third by striking out the side in the inning.
Metro State's first three batters reached in the first inning, but Amber Roundtree was thrown out trying to advance on a wild pitch and Kocman was able to get a pop out and a strike out to end the threat.
Corrie Nishikida walked and Hedstrom single to start the second, but again the Roadrunners were unable to score.
Metro State struck first as Tesone lined a home run to left with two outs in the third.
The Orediggers led off the top of the fourth with a single by Dani Murphy and Taylor Cayou reached on an error trying to bunt Murphy over. Sarah Lustgraaf came through with a single to left to score Murphy to tie the game. Cayou later scored on a wild pitch with two outs to put Mines in front 2-1.
Corrie Nishikida led off the bottom of the fourth with a blast to the fence, but left fielder Cone robbed Nishikida of a home run, crashing through the portable fence. Two batters later, Lauren Hainlen also hit a ball to the fence, but again Cone tracked it down.
CSM took a 3-1 lead on a solo home run to left by Lagen with two outs in the top of the fifth.
With one out in the bottom of the fifth, Roundtree and Kellie Nishikida were hit by consecutive pitchers. Following a line out to left by Rusch, Tesone delivered an RBI single to cut the Oredigger lead to 3-2. Tara Mickelson was then hit by a pitch on a controversial call that led to the ejection of CSM head coach Annie Van Wetzinga, Kocman escaped the jam and commotion forcing a pop up to short to end the inning.
Metro State stranded Hedstrom on third in the sixth inning after she led off the inning with a single and the Roadrunners went down in order in the seventh to end the game.
The two teams will play a doubleheader on Monday at 1 p.m. at Auraria Field to make up the games that were canceled on Saturday due to snow on the field.
