Box Score Denver - The Metropolitan State University of Denver baseball team won 9-1 over Sioux Falls on Friday afternoon, the first of a three game series.  The Roadrunners improve to 2-6 on the season, while the Cougars fall to 5-4 overall.

Sophomore Julian Garcia (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge H.S.) got his third start of the season.  Garcia had a career day with 11 strikeouts in eight innings pitched to improving to 1-2 as the starting pitcher.

Down 1-0 after the top of the first inning, MSU Denver came out strong in the bottom of the first scoring three runs to take the lead 3-1.  The Roadrunners would score one more in the second inning, started with a double by junior Jake Ekman (Littleton, Colo./Dakota Ridge H.S.).  Ekman was 4-for-4 at the plate for the day, including a double and an RBI.  Junior Marcus Bean (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.) led the team in RBIs, with two on the afternoon.

MSU Denver didn't allow a run after the first inning, and they held the Cougars to only six hits in the game, compared to the Roadrunners 15.
Freshmen Hunter Donaldson (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge H.S.) and junior Andrew Paust (Parker, Colo./Ponderosa H.S.), came up strong for MSU Denver at the plate.  Both went 3-for-4 from the plate.  On the season, Donaldson it hitting .500, followed by who is hitting .412.

Game two of the three-game series between Sioux Falls is scheduled for Saturday, with first pitch at noon at The Regency Athletic Complex at MSU Denver.