DENVER, Colo. - Metro State's baseball team blew a six-run lead in the ninth inning to lose 12-10 to Nebraska-Kearney at Auraria Field in Denver on Saturday. The loss dropped Metro State to 21-17 overall and 12-13 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, while Nebraska-Kearney improved to 13-26 overall and 10-16 in the RMAC.

The eight-run ninth inning by the Lopers spoiled a well-pitched game by starter Steven Green (Denver, Colo./Legacy H.S.) and relievers Ryan Eccles (Cypress, Calif./Mater Dei H.s.) and Sean Walter. Green allowed two earned runs in five innings and struck out five. Eccles tossed two scoreless innings and struck out three, while Walter pitched a perfect eighth inning.

Mike Coffey (Highlands Ranch, Colo./ThunderRidge H.S.) had three hits to lead the offense. Chris Redding, Tyree Abshire (Paonia, Colo./Paonia H.S.) and Dakota Nahm (Englewood, Colo./Thomas Jefferson H.S.) each had two hits. Abshire drove in five runs and hit two home runs. Nahm also homered for the Roadrunners.

Metro State led 2-0 in the second inning on a one-out solo home run by Abshire followed by a double by Nahm. Nahm scored on a sacrifice fly by Nick Columbia (Lakewood, Colo./Lakewood H.S.).

The Lopers tied the game with two unearned runs in the third inning and took a 4-2 lead with two more runs in the fourth.

Columbia drove in two runs with a single in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game. The Roadrunners took a 6-4 lead in the fifth as Coffey scored on a wild pitch and Matt McConnell (Mesa, Ariz./Dobson H.S.) scored on a sacrifice fly by Abshire.

Metro State added four in the seventh to go ahead 10-4 as Abshire and Nahm went back-to-back, with Abshire's home run bringing in three runs.

That score remained until the top of the ninth. Nebraska-Kearney scored eight runs with two outs as eight consecutive batters reached, including a grand slam by Andrew Haake. The Roadrunners went down in order in the bottom of the inning.

Metro State hosts first-place Mesa State for a four-game series next weekend.