Denver—The Metropolitan State University of Denver softball team split a doubleheader against Regis University on Saturday at the Regency Athletic Complex, winning the first game 3-1 and losing the second game 4-0.  MSU Denver improves to 25-13 on the season and 20-6 in the RMAC, while Regis improves to 20-17 overall and 15-11 in the RMAC. 
 
Junior Cassidy Smith (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) made her 19^th appearance and 12^th start of the season on the mound for the Roadrunners in game one, entering the game with a record of 7-8 with an even 4.00 ERA.  Smith gave off a leadoff double in the top of the first, but quickly settled in to retire the next three batters to get out of the frame.
 
MSU Denver took an early lead in the bottom of the first, scoring three.  With one out on the board junior Brooke Lovas (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills H.S.) singled up the middle, and sophomore Sarena Espinoza (Corona, Calif./Corona Centennial H.S.) also notched a single to advance Lovas to second.  In the next at-bat junior Hayley Fields (Arlington, Wash./Arlington H.S.) reached on a fielder's choice, with Lovas advancing to third and Espinoza being thrown out at second.  Smith then helped her own cause in the next at-bat by doubling to deep center field to score Fields and Lovas, notching two RBI's.  Sophomore Annika Anderson (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) followed up with a double of her own to score Smith from second to boost the Roadrunners lead to 3-0.
 
The Rangers scored a run in the top of the second to make it a 3-1 ballgame, but that would prove to be the last run of the game for either team.  Smith found her rhythm on the mound, pitching a complete game with one run on eight hits, no walks and one strikeout to improve to 8-8 on the year.
 
Fields started game two of the doubleheader for MSU Denver, making her 19^th appearance of the season and her 11^th start.  Fields threw all seven innings for the Roadrunners, allowing four runs on eight hits with no walks and two strikeouts, taking the loss to fall to 14-4 on the season.
 
The game remained scoreless going into the top of the third, when Regis managed to put two runners on board with one out.  In the next at-bat junior Colissa Bakovich (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) made a stellar diving catch on a shallow fly ball to center field to save a run for MSU Denver.  However, Regis still managed to score a run off a single in the next at-bat to go up 1-0.
 
The Roadrunners struggled to generate much offense, only coming up with three hits on the game and not being able to plate anyone.  Regis scored three more runs in the top of the fifth to go up 4-0, which would prove to be enough to secure a victory and split the doubleheader with the Roadrunners.
 
MSU Denver will play another doubleheader to complete the four-game series against Regis on Sunday at noon at the Regency Athletic Complex.