Denver – The Metropolitan State University of Denver softball team (26-9, 18-2 RMAC) defeated New Mexico Highlands (10-23, 7-13 RMAC) in both games of a doubleheader on Sunday by scores of 14-4 and 8-3.

In the first game, MSU Denver blew up offensively scoring 14 runs and tallying 12 hits on 24 at bats.  After giving up two runs in the top of the first inning, the Roadrunners put up five of their own in the bottom of the inning.  Junior Sarena Espinoza (Corona, Calif./Corona Centennial H.S.) started the scoring with a grand slam.  Sophomore Ashlee Kim (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County H.S.) drove in senior Cassidy Smith (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) to score the final run of the inning.

MSU Denver put up four more runs in the bottom of the second inning.  Smith drove in two runs and freshman Darby McGhee (Camarillo, Calif./Adolfo Camarillo High School) added two more RBIs to give the Roadrunners a 9-2 lead.

Junior Annika Anderson (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) jacked a two-run homerun in the bottom of the third inning to continue the offensive onslaught.  The Roadrunners led 11-2 after three innings.

The top of the fourth inning saw New Mexico Highlands score two run to close the gap to 11-4.  MSU Denver refused to let up and added three runs in the bottom of the inning.  McGhee drove in her third and fourth RBIs of the day and senior Brooke Lovas (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills H.S.) added one of her own.  McGhee came on in relief of Smith in the top of the fifth inning to close out the game.  Smith earned the win, her tenth of the season.

In the second game, the MSU Denver bats remained hot.  Junior Carissa Terry (Moreno Valley, Calif./Valley View H.S.) recorded her first RBI of the day in the bottom of the first inning.  Then, Espinoza launched her second homerun of the day, a three run shot to left field, to give the Roadrunners a 4-0 lead.

The score held until the bottom of the fifth inning when Anderson hit her second homerun of the day.  The two-run blast gave MSU Denver a 6-0 lead.

The top of the sixth inning saw New Mexico Highlands get on the scoreboard.  MSU Denver responded in the bottom of the inning scoring two runs.  Lovas drove in Smith and senior Hayley Fields (Arlington, Wash./Arlington H.S.) drove in Kim.  Fields pitched the complete game and did not allow a run in the top of the seventh inning.  She also picked up her tenth win of the season with the Roadrunners victory.

MSU Denver will travel to Regis on April 1-2 for a four-game series.  The first game will begin at 12 noon on Friday, April 1.