Denver- The Metropolitan State University of Denver baseball team defeated Regis University 5-2 on Sunday, April 3 at the Regency Athletic Complex. The Roadrunners improve their record to 12-14 overall and 8-8 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
Regis got on the board in the first inning scoring off senior
Cameron Stroup (Arvada, Colo./Arvada West H.S.), when Connor Rochon grounded into a double play allowing a Ranger run to cross to go up 1-0. The Rangers threatened again with runners reaching third base in both the 3rd and 4th innings, but Stroup was able to strand them to escape both situations.
Senior
Nick Comito (Lakewood, Colo./Mullen H.S.) was able to level the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning with a clutch two-out single to right field that would score senior
Andrew Paust (Parker, Colo./Ponderosa H.S.) who had doubled to center. Junior
Marcus Bean (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.) doubled to left center but Regis was able to gun down Comito at the plate attempting to score from first base with the relay throw.
MSU Denver took the lead when junior
Reilly Mau (Longmont, Colo./Longmont H.S.) singled to bring in senior
Jeff Levett (Parker, Colo./Chaparral H.S.) in the 5th inning. Sophomore
Hunter Donaldson (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge H.S.) completed a successful hit-and-run to move Mau to third, who then scored due to an errant Regis cut off throw to go up 3-1. The Roadrunners tacked on another run from a Paust infield single that allowed Donaldson to take home and make the score 4-1 MSU Denver. Regis would go through three pitchers in the inning.
The Rangers cut the Roadrunners lead to 4-2 with a sac fly in the top of the 6th inning but Stroup would make it through the inning to exit with the lead. Sophomore
Cale O'Donnell (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.) came on to pitch in relief in the 7th and hold the Rangers scoreless over the final three innings. Roadrunners pitching would hold Regis to four hits on the day.
Paust added an insurance run in the bottom of the 7th with a double to right center to score Levett to put MSU Denver up 5-2.
MSU Denver will now begin an 11-game RMAC road trip beginning on Friday, April 9 at New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas, N.M.
