Las Vegas, N.M. – The Metropolitan State University of Denver softball team split a doubleheader with New Mexico Highlands on Sunday afternoon winning the first game 5-3 in eight innings and falling 7-4 in the second game.  The Roadrunners move to 12-10 overall and 9-3 in RMAC play.

In the first game, MSU Denver defeated N.M. Highlands 5-3 in eight innings.  Neither the Roadrunners nor the Cowgirls scored until the fourth inning when both teams were able to put a run on the board.  Sophomore Carissa Terry (Moreno Valley, Calif./Valley View H.S.) scored off of a wild pitch before N.M. Highlands tied the game in the bottom of the inning.

The two teams needed extra innings to decide the game.  In the eighth inning, the Roadrunners scored five runs.  Junior Brooke Lovas (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills H.S.) broke the tie when junior Cassidy Smith (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) walked with the bases loaded.  Junior Hayley Fields (Arlington, Wash./Arlington H.S.) then scored off of a hit by sophomore Annika Anderson (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) advancing Smith to second and Terry to third.  Anderson and Smith scored the final runs for the Roadrunners after freshman Ashley Kim reached on an error by the shortstop.  The Cowgirls scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, but could not overcome the MSU Denver lead.  Smith finished the game 2-for-2, batting one run in and scoring another.

The Roadrunners would fall in game two, 7-4.  The game remained scoreless until the third inning when freshman Caitie Booco (Keenesburg, Colo./Weld Central H.S.) scored after Kim singled up the middle. The Cowgirls responded in the fourth inning scoring four of their own making the score 4-1.  The Cowgirls scored three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and extended the lead to 7-1.  MSU Denver began a comeback attempt in the sixth inning after Lovas doubled to left-center and scored on a Fields single.  Terry hit a double of her own to score Fields.

After holding N.M. Highlands scoreless in the sixth inning, the Roadrunners entered the top of the seventh inning trailing 7-3.  MSU Denver tallied two quick outs and then began one final comeback attempt.  Junior Colissa Bakovich (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) hit a double and Lovas hit a single to score Bakovich.  Fields would reach on a single of her own; however, one final ground out would end the game with two runners on base.  Lovas and Fields both finished the second game going 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.

MSU Denver will travel to Pueblo, Colo. on March 12-13 to take on CSU-Pueblo and Chadron State in a round-robin, four-game series.  First pitch against the Thunderwolves on Saturday is set for 11 a.m.