Denver- The Metropolitan State University of Denver baseball team hosted University of Northern Colorado at the Regency Athletic Complex on Saturday, April 15. In game one of the doubleheader earned a 2-1 win over the Bears. In game two the Roadrunners shutout the Bears for a 4-0 win.
Junior
Javi Vega (Chula Vista, Calif./Castle Park H.S.) started on the mound for the Roadrunners in game one earning his sixth win of the season. In the first inning Vega struck out three straight batters for the Bears giving the Roadrunners energy to start the bottom of the first.
Senior
Jake Thurston (Centennial, Colo./Grandview H.S.) lead off the bottom of the first for the Roadrunners hitting a long double to left center field, however the Roadrunners were unable to capitalize.
MSU Denver made it on the board in the bottom of the third inning with junior Donny Ortiz Jr. scoring on a wild pitch.
Game one proved to be a pitchers dual, as the score remained 1-0 in favor of the Roadrunners through to the eighth inning when the Roadrunners put one more run up on the Bears. Junior
Trent Maloney (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County H.S.) hit the only RBI of the game to send Ortiz home putting the Roadrunners up 2-0.
The Bears fought for the comeback in the top of the ninth putting up one run but that wouldn't be enough. Junior
Cale O'Donnell (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.) earned the save, holding the Bears to the lone run for the Roadrunners to end the game on top 2-1.
In game two of the doubleheader senior
Derek Stimpson (Colorado Springs/Doherty H.S.) started in the circle for MSU Denver to earn his first win of the season and hold the Bears scoreless.
The Roadrunners came out on fire in the first scoring two runs to go on top. With two outs in the inning, Maloney hit a single to get the Roadrunners started. O'Donnell followed up by hitting a double to center field to advance Maloney to third. Donaldson kept the Roadrunners going, hitting a long single to send both runners home.
The next run for the Roadrunners would come off freshman
Adam Tulley (Allenspark, Colo./Estes Park High School) scoring on a UNC wild pitch. MSU Denver extended its lead, also scoring a run in the bottom of the third with Tulley earning a single RBI to send Donaldson home for the run.
That would prove to be enough as the Roadrunners held the Bears scoreless through the rest of the game.
The Roadrunners will be on the road next weekend against UCCS.