Denver - The Metropolitan State University of Denver softball team (32-16, 24-6 RMAC) defeated Black Hills State (5-29, 3-23 RMAC) twice in doubleheader, winning game one 4-3 and game two 8-0.
 
Freshman Darby McGhee (Camarillo, Calif./Adolfo Camarillo High School) got the start in the circle for the Roadrunners in game one.  She pitched three scoreless innings before the Roadrunners scored the first run of the game.  Senior Colissa Bakovich (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) led off the bottom of the third inning with a triple in the right-center gap.  Junior Annika Anderson (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) scored Bakovich on a groundout to the shortstop to give MSU Denver a 1-0 lead.
 
The Yellow Jackets responded in the top of the fifth inning with a solo homerun to tie the game 1-1.  Bakovich came through again in the bottom of the fifth with a single up the middle and a stolen base.  Anderson reached on an error by the Yellow Jacket right fielder, scoring Bakovich to give the Roadrunners a 2-1 lead.
 
In the bottom of the sixth inning, junior Harley Husser recorded a pinch-hit triple down the left field line to lead off the inning.  Sophomore Daisy Collins (Visalia, Calif./Redwood H.S.) also came in to pinch hit and recorded an RBI on a groundout to the pitcher.  Husser scored on the play to push the Roadrunner lead to 3-1.
 
Black Hills State had an answer for the Roadrunners in the top of the seventh inning and came out hot on offense.  A single, a walk, and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third for the Yellow Jackets.  A groundout to shortstop scored one run to cut the MSU Denver lead to 3-2.  With two outs and runners on base, the Roadrunners recorded the final out of the inning by catching the runner trying to advance from second to third in a pickle.  Since this was not a force out, the Yellow Jackets were able to score the tying run from third.
 
The Roadrunners looked calm and collected in the seventh inning.  Senior Brook Lovas led off the inning and reached second on an error by the Yellow Jacket centerfielder.  Senior Hayley Fields (Arlington, Wash./Arlington H.S.) walked to put runners on first and second with no outs.  Anderson ended the game with a walk-off single to right field. Lovas scored on the play, and the Roadrunners won the game by a final score of 4-3.
 
Fields was the starting pitcher for MSU Denver in game two.  She recorded a quick, shutout first inning, and the offense gave her some early support with a run in the bottom of the first.  Much like the first game, Bakovich and Anderson continued to be the spark for the Roadrunners.   Bakovich singled to center field and scored on a double to right-center by Anderson, giving MSU Denver a 1-0 lead.
 
The bottom of the lineup came alive in the bottom of the second inning.  Husser walked and advanced to second on a single up the middle by Collins.  Sophomore Ashley Kim doubled through the left side to to score Husser giving the Roadrunners a 2-0 lead.  Fields hit a sacrifice fly to deep, left field to score Collins.  Kim was caught in a pickle between second and third on the play, but scored when the third basemen overthrew the second basemen.  Bakovich added another triple to an already impressive day.  MSU Denver finished the inning with three runs on three hits and a 4-0 lead.
 
The Roadrunners had another big inning in the bottom of the fourth after a scoreless third inning.  The bottom of the lineup continued to be productive starting with a walk by Husser and a double by Collins that scored Husser.  Kim reached second on a fielding error when the Yellow Jacket first basemen didn't catch the ball.  Collins scored on the play to give the Roadrunners a 6-0 lead.  Fields grounded out to the shortstop to advance Kim to third.  Kim was thrown out at home after Bakovich hit a sharp grounder to the third basemen.  After a steal by Bakovich, Anderson hit a double to centerfield to score Bakovich.  Terry followed with an RBI triple to center field to score Anderson and give MSU Denver an 8-0 lead.  Fields retired the Yellow Jackets in order in the top of the fifth to finish a two-hit shutout and give the Roadrunners a second victory.
 
The Roadrunners return to action Saturday, April 15 for a doubleheader against Black Hills State University beginning at 12 noon to finish the four game series.