Box Score

KEARNEY, Neb. - Metro State allowed all seven of Nebraska-Kearney's runs in the final four innings as the host Lopers edged Metro State 7-6 in 10 innings on Sunday.  The loss dropped the Roadrunners to 16-17 overall and 13-9 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, while UNK imprvoed to 23-15 overall and 12-11 in the RMAC.

Metro State spoiled an oustanding outing from Bradshaw Perry (Aurora, Colo./Cherokee Trail H.S.), who allowed three runs on seven hits in seven innings, while striking out a career-high eight batters.  It was also the longest outing of his career.

The Roadrunners led 1-0 after six innings, scoring their first run in the top of the first inning as David Fox (Lakewood, Colo./Faith Christian H.S.) scored on a single to center by Jordan Stouffer (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.) after Fox stole second base.

Metro State took a 2-0 lead in the seventh on a leadoff home run to left by Chris Redding (Northglenn, Colo./Northglenn H.S.).  UNK cut the lead in half with a run in the bottom of the inning after a one-out walk.

David Kaplan (Colorado Springs, Colo./Doherty H.S.) led off the eighth inning with a double down the left field line and scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Everett Altman (Wheat Ridge, Colo./Wheat Ridge H.S.).

But the Lopers took the lead in the bottom of the eighth and chased Perry from the game after he opened the inning by walking a batter and then hitting a batter.  Ross MacDonald (Las Vegas, Nev./Bonanza H.S.) allowed a base hit to the first batter he faced to load the bases with nobody out.  A sacrifice fly drove in the first run to cut the lead to 3-2, but UNK tied the game on a balk.  After a strikeout, Jordan Mitchelhill's base hit put the Lopers ahead 4-3.

Metro State put together a three-run inning of its own in the top of the ninth.  Fox reached on an infield single with one out and Stouffer walked.  After a strikeout, Kaplan delivered an RBI single to left to tie the game.  Jacob Trimble (Danville, Ill./Schlarman H.S.) then drilled a two-run double to center to put the Roadrunners in front 6-4 entering the bottom of the ninth.

MacDonald surrendered a leadoff walk, a base hit and another walk to load the bases with nobody out in the ninth.  A double play scored a run for UNK, cutting the lead to 6-5.  But the Lopers tied the game when MacDonald uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Patrick Oliver to score to send the game to extra innings.

Metro State went down in order in the top of the 10th.  Tony Weber (Elizabeth, Colo./Elizabeth H.S.) replaced MacDonald on the mound in the 10th and got a groundout to short and a lineout to start the inning.  Mitchelhill then hit a groundball to third, but the throw to first was mishandled by the first baseman and following a wild pitch, Brian Chritz singled to center to score Mitchelhill and end the game.

Kaplan led the Roadrunners with three hits and Redding, Fox, Stouffer and Trimble each had two.

Metro State will host Mesa State for a four-game series next weekend.