DENVER, Colo. - No. 13 Metro State pounded out 15 hits to defeat Colorado State-Pueblo 13-5 in five innings at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Softball Tournament at Auraria Field in Denver on a cold, drizzly morning. Metro State advances to the semifinals and will face Colorado Mines at 3:30 p.m. CSU-Pueblo will drop to the loser's bracket and face Mesa State at 12:30 p.m. Both games will be at Auraria Field.

Metro State improved to 38-10 overall this season, while CSU-Pueblo dropped to 29-17.

The Roadrunners led 2-0 after the first inning after Amber Roundtree and Kellie Nishikida led off the bottom of the inning with consecutive singles. Roundtree scored on a groundout by Tara Mickelson and Nishikida came home on an infield single by Jennessa Tesone.

Metro State added two more in the second on a two-run single by Mickelson. But the ThunderWolves answered right back with five runs in the top of the third to take a 5-4 lead before an out was recorded. Relief pitcher Christie Robinson took over for Brittany Moss and allowed a two-run home run to the first batter she faced in the third, but retired the next three on groundouts to end the third.

Nishikida got the Roadrunners going in the fourth, starting a seven-run rally with a solo home run to right to lead off the bottom of the inning. Lauren Hainlen and Danni Hedstrom each had two-run singles and Roundtree and Nishikida each had one-run singles in the inning.

Robinson cruised through the fifth, allowing just a leadoff single. Metro State ended the game in the bottom of the inning. Corrie Nishikida hit a one-out one-out sacrifice fly to score Tesone and pinch runner Jesse Minch scored on a double down the left field line to end the game with the eight-run victory.

Kellie Nishikida led the team with four hits and Hainlen added three. Hedstrom and Mickelson each drove in three runs. Robinson earned the win in relief, improving to 23-4 this season, allowing just one run in three innings.