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DENVER, Colo. - No.4 Metro State rebounded from its loss to Mesa State in the morning with a 12-4, five-inning victory over Chadron State on Friday afternoon in the loser's bracket at the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament at Metro State. The Roadrunners improved to 42-4 with the win, while CSC's season ended at 25-30.
Things got off to a rough start, however, as Chadron State put two runners on with nobody out in the first and took a 2-0 lead on Allison Hendrickson's two-run double with two outs.
The offense came alive in the bottom of the inning, though, as Metro State pushed across seven runs as the first six batters reached base. Amber Roundtree (Lakewood, Colo./Faith Christian H.S.) ripped the first pitch of the game from Cassie Humphrey over the left field fence to set the tone. Sarah Rusch (Westminster, Colo./Standley Lake H.S.) was hit by a pitch, Tara Mickelson (Wheat Ridge, Colo./Wheat Ridge H.S.) singled and Jennessa Tesone (Longmont, Colo./Niwot H.S.) walked to load the bases, setting up a two-run single to right by Molly Clark (Lakewood, Colo./Lakewood H.S.). Clark scored on a groundout by Aubree Maul (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.) for the first out of the inning and Kellie Nishikida (Pearl City, Hawaii/Pearl City H.S.) scored on a Julia Diehl (Littleton, Colo./Dakota Ridge H.S.)'s two-run home run to left for the seventh run of the inning.
Metro State starter Brittany Moss (Northglenn, Colo./Northglenn H.S.) cruised with the big cushion, and threw 54 of her 82 pitches for strikes. She allowed an RBI double to No. 9 hitter Katelyn Moore in the fourth and surrendered an unearned run in the fifth.
The Roadrunner bats got going again in the fourth when Clark drove in Rusch with a base hit to center and Clark scored on Maul's single down the left field line.
Lauren Hainlen (Parker, Colo./Chaparral H.S.) opened the fifth with a single to left and pinch runner Kristen Gertner (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley H.S.) moved to third on Roundtree's double. Gertner scored on a groundout by Rusch and Roundtree came home on a sacrifice fly by Mickelson. Tesone ended the game on a home run to center.
