Colo. Springs- The Metropolitan State University of Denver baseball team split its doubleheader against UCCS on Saturday, April 22. The Roadrunners took the first game 7-4 and fell in the second game 9-3.
Junior
Javi Vega (Chula Vista, Calif./Castle Park H.S.) started on the mound for the Roadrunners to earn his seventh win on the season.
Senior
Jake Ekman (Littleton, Colo./Dakota Ridge H.S.) kicked off the game for the Roadrunners hitting his first home run of the season to give the Roadrunners a 1-0 edge. However, the Mountain Lions were quick to answer, matching the Roadrunners score at one going into the top of the second inning.
The Roadrunners took off in the top of the second inning scoring four runs off four hits. Senior
Marcus Bean (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.) started off the inning for the Roadrunners hitting a single to left center followed by senior
Derek Stimpson (Colorado Springs/Doherty H.S.) reaching base on a single as well. Senior
Nick McCasky (Golden, Colo./Ralston Valley H.S.) grounded out to the Mountain Lions pitcher to advance the two runners followed by junior Donny Ortiz Jr. loading the bases on a walk. Ekman was able to capitalize for the Roadrunners, hitting a single through the left side to score Bean and Stimpson. Junior
Trent Maloney (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County H.S.) kept the momentum going for his team hitting a double to send Ekman and Ortiz home, putting the Roadrunners up 5-1.
After a scoreless third inning for both sides, the Mountain Lions cut the Roadrunners lead after scoring two runs off four hits in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The next two innings were scoreless for both sides with a combined three hits in the innings.
The Roadrunners scored two runs in the top of the seventh with junior
Cale O'Donnell (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.) scoring on a Mountain Lions wild pitch. Ortiz then earned an RBI to send Bean home and extend the Roadrunners lead to 7-3.
The Roadrunners were able to hold the Mountain Lions to just one run off two hits in the bottom of the seventh to earn the 7-4 lead.
The Mountain Lions took game two of the doubleheader 9-3 with seven of their nine runs coming in the first inning. The final two runs for UCCS came in the third inning taking a 9-0 lead over MSU Denver.
The Roadrunners made an attempt to comeback scoring two runs in the fifth with Ortiz and Maloney earning another RBI on the day. MSU Denver's final run came in the top of the sixth with junior
Hunter Donaldson (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge H.S.) hitting one out the the park.
Both teams were scoreless in the last inning, ending the game 9-3 in favor of the Mountain Lions.
The series will wrap up Sunday, April 23 at 12 p.m. in Colorado Springs.
