Grand Junction, Colo. – The Metropolitan State University of Denver softball team defeated Colorado Mesa 8-3 to advance to the RMAC Championship.  The Roadrunners are now 34-17 on the season.

MSU Denver started the scoring early with sophomore Sarena Espinoza (Corona, Calif./Corona Centennial H.S.) hitting a solo home run in the top of the first inning.  Colorado Mesa also hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game at 1-1.

In the top of the third inning, the Roadrunners were able to add two more runs.  Junior Cassidy Smith (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) drove in junior Liberty Nelson (Frederick, Colo./Frederick H.S.) with a double to right-center field.  Sophomore Annika Anderson (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) hit a single that would score Smith giving MSU Denver a 3-1 lead.

The Roadrunners added to their lead in the top of the fifth inning.  Junior Colissa Bakovich (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) scored on an Espinoza single to left-center field.  Anderson would reach base on the next at bat.  Sophomore Kristyn Peters (Lakewood, CO/Dakota Ridge) doubled down the right field line driving in both Espinoza and Anderson.  MSU Denver held a 6-1 lead after the top of the fifth inning.

Colorado Mesa scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to trim the Roadrunners lead to 6-3.  Colorado Mesa would leave the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth and the bottom of the sixth inning.

In the top of the seventh inning, MSU Denver struck again on the scoreboard.  Three straight walks loaded the bases for the Roadrunners.  Junior Hayley Fields (Arlington, Wash./Arlington H.S.) singled scoring Espinoza for the third time in the game.  Junior Brooke Lovas (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills H.S.) also singled scoring Anderson, the final run of the game.  MSU Denver held Colorado Mesa without a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure the victory.

Smith and Fields combined to allow Colorado Mesa only three runs on six total hits.

MSU Denver will face the winner of Colorado Mesa and CSU-Pueblo at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, April 30 for the RMAC tournament championship.