Denver - The Metropolitan State University of Denver baseball team fell to Emporia State 18-6 on Saturday afternoon.  The Hornets advance to 4-1 while the Roadrunners fall to 0-2 on the season.

Senior Andrew Paust (Parker, Colo./Ponderosa H.S.) went 3-for-4 on the day and drove in two runs.  Sophomore Hunter Donaldson (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge H.S.) was 2-for-4 batting and also drove in two runs.  Sophomore Trent Maloney (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County H.S.) scored three runs and went 2-for-4 from the plate.

The Roadrunners got off to a rocky start allowing the Hornets to score 11 runs in the first four innings. MSU Denver was able to get on the scoreboard in the fourth inning when Donaldson drove in Maloney on a one-out single.  MSU Denver trailed 11-1 after the fourth.

The fifth inning saw the Roadrunners add three more runs to the scoreboard.  Maloney drove in freshman Aaron Germani (Littleton, Colo./ThunderRidge H.S.) and then Paust hit a two-run single scoring Maloney and junior Jake Thurston (Centennial, Colo./Grandview H.S.).  The inning would end with MSU Denver trailing 11-4.  MSU Denver would manage only two runs over the final four innings.

Junior Ryan Baca (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) took the loss on the day.  Baca gave up six runs on seven hits in two-and-a-third innings.  Emporia State outhit the Roadrunners 24-9 in the game.

MSU Denver will return to the field on Sunday, February 14 to complete the three-game series with Emporia State.  Game time is set for 12 noon.