Denver- The Metropolitan State University of Denver's baseball team fell to the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys 10-8 on Sunday. The Roadrunners are now 9-9 overall and 5-3 in the RMAC. The Cowboys are 7-11 overall and 3-5 in conference play.

The Cowboys got on the board in the top of the first after Joseph Cilladi singled back to the pitcher. Cilladi then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by MSU Denver Catcher senior Marcus Bean (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.).

New Mexico Highlands came out strong in the second inning scoring two runs on two hits, and left one runner on base. The cowboys added another run in the third inning to take a 4-0 lead.

After a scoreless first and second innings, Freshman Dylan Nelson (Lakewood, Colo./D'Evelyn Jr/Sr High School) gave the roadrunners their first run when he blasted a solo home run over the center field fence in the bottom of the third inning.

In the bottom of the sixth the roadrunners offense came alive starting with a solo homerun that hit the scoreboard by senior Jake Thurston (Centennial, Colo./Grandview H.S.).  Junior Hunter Donaldson (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge H.S.) followed Thurston with a single through the right side. Junior Cale O'Donnell (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.) reached on a double play when Donaldson was thrown out at second. O'Donnell scored from first on a double down the line by junior Sean Kennedy (Aurora, Colo./Grandview High School), Kennedy advanced to third on the throw. Bean hit a massive two-run home run to dead center field to bring the roadrunners within one by a score of 6-5. The roadrunners posted a total of four runs on four hits in the inning.

Senior pitcher Derek Stimpson (Colorado Springs/Doherty H.S.) shut the door on the cowboys in both the sixth and seventh innings with two shut-out innings. In the bottom of the sixth inning the Roadrunners completed the comeback. Junior Donny Ortiz Jr.  singled up the middle and scored on an RBI double to left-center by Thurston. Senior Jake Ekman (Littleton, Colo./Dakota Ridge H.S.) gave the roadrunners their first lead of the game, 7-6, with an RBI double to left field scoring Thurston. The Roadrunners finished the inning with two runs on three hits, leaving two runners on base.

Following another scoreless frame from Stimpson, the Roadrunners offensive success continued in the eighth inning starting with a double to right by Nelson. Sophomore Adam Tulley (Allenspark, Colo./Estes Park High School) singled up the left side to score Junior Trent Maloney (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County H.S.) who was pinch running for Nelson. MSU Denver carried an 8-6 lead into the ninth inning.

In the ninth inning, the cowboys pulled within one after a walk by Stimpson and a walk by Junior Jared Roley (Littleton, Colo./Heritage H.S.) who took over for Stimpson. The Cowboys singled off Roley to bring in the runner from second making the score 8-7 roadrunners. New Mexico Highlands scored three more runs to give the cowboys a 10-8 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.  

The Roadrunners threatened in the bottom of the ninth with runners on first and second but could not push across any runs, ending the game 10-8.  

The Roadrunners visit the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo. on Friday, March 17 at 4 p.m. for the first game of a four-game series.