Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

KEARNEY, Neb. – Metro State's softball team had its best offensive day of the season, run-ruling Nebraska-Kearney on the road twice with a 14-1 (5 inn.) win and 17-5 (5 inn.) victory. The Roadrunners moved into first place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with the wins and improved to 32-13 and 27-10 in the RMAC, while UNK fell to 15-28 and 15-20.

Game One
The Roadrunners exploded in the first three innings to take a 13-0 lead after three innings. Jennessa Tesone (Longmont, Colo./Niwot H.S.) crushed a three-run home run and Julia Diehl (Littleton, Colo./Dakota Ridge H.S.) and Caitlin Jenks (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley H.S.) each hit doubles in the four-run first inning.

In the second inning, it was four singles, a double by Tesone and a three-run homer by Molly Clark (Lakewood, Colo./Lakewood H.S.) that led to a six-run inning. Lauren Hainlen (Parker, Colo./Chaparral H.S.) took her turn in the third inning with a three-run home run of her own.

Annalyse Garcia (Frederick, Colo./Frederick H.S.) pushed the lead to 14-0 with a solo homer in the fourth and the Lopers scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the inning with a home run.

Tesone went 3-for-4 with four runs batted in to lead Metro State. Brittney Padilla (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo Central H.S.), Diehl and Jenks each had two hits.

Diehl pitched all five innings for the win. She struck out six and allowed just three hits.

Game Two
It looked to be a much closer game early in game two. Metro State opened the game with five in the top of the first, scoring four unearned runs. UNK answered with five of its own to tie the game.

But it was all Roadrunners after the first as Tesone's first of three home runs in the game put them on top 6-5 in the second.

She blasted another to lead off the fourth and Hainlen hit a two-run homer in the inning to push the lead to 9-5.

Metro State blew the game open with eight runs in the top of the fifth. Tesone hit a one-out home run, starting a string of eight straight batters reaching base. Danni Hedstrom (Fort Collins, Colo./Fort Collins H.S.) delivered a two-run single and Amber Roundtree (Lakewood, Colo./Faith Christian H.S.) had an RBI double.

Jenks pitched all five innings and allowed just three baserunners after the first.

Tesone was 4-for-5 and her three home runs tied the school record that Tesone already shared with two others. Hainlen was 4-for-4 and Roundtree and Jenks each had three hits. Hedstrom added two.

Metro State set season-highs for runs (17) and hits (20) in the game.

The two teams will play again on Sunday at 11 a.m. (CDT).