DENVER, Colo. - Metro State's 11th-ranked softball team won two games on Saturday, defeating Chadron State 5-1 and 17-0 (5 inn.) at Auraria Field in Denver.  The win for Metro State clinches a tie for the regular season Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championship after Colorado Mines split a doubleheader with Regis on Saturday.  The Roadrunners can clinch the outright championship with one win on Sunday.  Metro State improved to 35-9 overall and 28-6 in the RMAC, while the Eagles dropped to 19-29 overall and 12-20 in the RMAC.

Game 1

Facing Chadron State's ace Casey Williams, game one was a pitcher's duel early on as it was scoreless for three innings.

The Roadrunners finally got to Williams with two outs in the bottom of the fourth when Lauren Hainlen ripped a double to the right-center wall, scoring Jennessa Tesone from first base.  Metro State added two more in the fifth.  Williams hit Sarah Rusch with a pitch to load the bases and then hit Tesone with the next pitch to force in a run.  The Roadrunners scored their second run when CSC's shortstop dropped an infield fly rule pop-up, allowing Tara Mickelson to score from third base.

In the sixth inning, Metro State again scored twice to take a 5-0 lead.  Roundtree hit a one-out double to left-center to score Hainlen.  Roundtree later scored on an Eagle error.

Roundtree and Hainlen had two hits each to lead the offense.  Christie Robinson pitched an excellent game, throwing all seven innings, allowing just one run in the seventh inning.  She scattered six hits.

Game 2

Metro State's bats came alive in game two as they connected for 17 hits and six home runs for 17 runs, their second-highest run total of the season.  Tara Mickelson and Sarah Rusch each had two home runs, while Jennessa Tesone and Corrie Nishikida had the other two.  Mickelson and Rusch each had three hits.  Amber Roundtree, Kellie Nishikida and Jessica Haab all had multi-hit games.

The Roadrunners added two runs in the first on a two-run home run to right-center by Mickelson that scored Kellie Nishikida.  Lauren Hainlen and Danni Hedstrom led off the second with back-to-back doubles.  Corrie Nishikida then drilled a two-run shot to right-center.

Metro State then scored five in the third and seven in the fourth.  Mickelson and Rusch led off the third with back-to-back home runs.  Haab later had a two-run double as the Roadrunners batted around in the third.

Mickelson led off the fourth with a single and scored one batter later on Rusch's second homer of the game.  Tesone followed Rusch's blast with one of her own to put Metro State ahead 13-0.

Brittany Moss cruised through all five innings, striking out eight and allowing just two hits.

The two teams will meet back at Auraria Field on Sunday for two games beginning at 11 a.m.