Denver- The Metropolitan State University of Denver's baseball team defeated New Mexico Highlands on a doubled header on Saturday March 11. The Roadrunners won the first game 3-2 and the second game 6-5. The Roadrunners advance to 9-8 overall and 5-2 in the RMAC while the Cowboys fall to 6-11 overall and 2-5 in the RMAC.
 
The first game was scoreless until the bottom of the third inning when senior Jake Thurston (Centennial, Colo./Grandview H.S.) singled up the middle to reach first. Senior Jake Ekman (Littleton, Colo./Dakota Ridge H.S.) doubled down the right field line bringing Thurston home to put MSU Denver on the scoreboard. Junior Hunter Donaldson (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge H.S.) singled advancing to second base on the throw and third base on an error, which allowed Ekman to come home to score.
 
The Roadrunners led the Cowboys 2-0 to begin the fourth inning. With two outs and Luis Ornelas on base, Jeremy McCarty hit a home run to tie the game 2-2.
 
In the bottom of the fifth the Roadrunners answered back when O'Donnell hit a home run with one out in the inning. The Roadrunners regained the lead with a score of 3-2.
 
The Roadrunners out-hit the Cowboys 10-2. Junior Javi Vega (Chula Vista, Calif./Castle Park H.S.) held the Cowboys to only two hits and two runs for his second win on the season.
 
The second game was scoreless until the top of the third inning. With two on base for New Mexico Highlands Jeremy McCarty hit a single to bring home one run for the Cowboys. Eduardo Perez reached first on a walk. Then James Cordova singled to center field brining Brad Blackwell home to score. The Cowboys were up 2-0 to enter the bottom of the fourth.
 
The Cowboys kept their momentum going into the top of the fourth. With Blackwell and Codie Simmons on base, Joseph Cilladi doubled to bring the Cowboys led to 4-0 over the Roadrunners.
 
The Roadrunners answered back in the bottom of the fourth when O'Donnell hit his second home run of the day with Donaldson on base to bring the score to 4-2.
 
In the bottom of the fifth with Junior Donny Ortiz Jr. and Thurston on base Ekman hit a single to right center as Thurston advanced to second and Ortiz Jr. scored. This brought the score to 4-3 to end the inning.
 
The Cowboys kept their lead when Travis Spruiell hit a home run in the top of the sixth to bring the score to 5-3.
 
However, Roadrunners brought the heat in the bottom of the seventh when Ortiz Jr. and Thurston hit singles and Ekman reach first base on an error. With the bases loaded Donaldson hit a single to left center brining Ortiz Jr., Thurston, and Ekman home to bring home the win for the Roadrunners 6-5.
 
The Roadrunners will be back in action Sunday March 12 where they will finish the series with New Mexico Highlands at 12p.m.