Denver – The Metropolitan State University of Denver softball team defeated CSU-Pueblo 9-1 and 10-4 on Sunday to open the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference season 2-0.

In the first game of the day, MSU Denver jumped out early scoring five runs in the bottom of the first inning.  Junior Sarena Espinoza (Corona, Calif./Corona Centennial H.S.) got the scoring going with a double to bring home senior Brooke Lovas (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills H.S.).  Jnuior Annika Anderson (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) singled to bring in Espinoza.  Freshman Megan Sansburn (/Dakota Ridge H.S. ) drove in two run and sophomore Ashlee Kim (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County H.S.) added another to make it 5-0 after the first inning.

CSU-Pueblo was able to get on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning, however, the Roadrunners would respond.  Senior Cassidy Smith (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) hit a two-run homerun to make the score 7-1 entering the top of the third inning.

In the fourth inning, Anderson would pick up another RBI when she hit a double to left field that scored Espinoza.  The score remained 8-1 until the bottom of the sixth inning.

Once again, Espinoza would be the difference maker in the bottom of the sixth inning.  She singled to left field and Lovas scored on an error by the left fielder.  The Roadrunners won game one 9-1 in six innings.

The second game of the doubleheader once again saw MSU Denver jump out to an early lead.  The Roadrunners scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning.  Smith, Kim, and freshman Darby McGhee (Camarillo, Calif./Adolfo Camarillo High School) all scored in the inning making the score 3-0 in favor of MSU Denver.

The Roadrunners added two more runs in the bottom of the third inning.  Junior Carissa Terry (Moreno Valley, Calif./Valley View H.S.) and McGhee each had hits in the inning to bring in Smith and Anderson, respectively.

The top of the fifth inning saw CSU-Pueblo score three runs to cut the Roadrunners lead to 5-3.  MSU Denver bounced back in the bottom of the fifth inning when junior Kristyn Peters (Lakewood, CO/Dakota Ridge) entered the game as a pinch-hitter and hit a double down the right field line scoring two runs.  Senior Hayley Fields (Arlington, Wash./Arlington H.S.) would also single in the inning to drive in another run for the Roadrunners making the score 10-3.

CSU-Pueblo was able to add one run in the top of the seventh, but it was too little, too late as MSU Denver took home the 10-4 victory.

MSU Denver will play a doubleheader against CSU-Pueblo on Monday at The Regency Athletic Complex with first-pitch slated for 12 noon.