Grand Junction, Colo.- The Metropolitan State University of Denver softball team fell 6-4 to Colorado Christian in the first game of the 2017 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament.
 
Freshman Darby McGhee (Camarillo, Calif./Adolfo Camarillo High School) got the start on the pitcher's mound for the MSU Denver with the Cougars getting the game started in the top of the first. The Cougars hit two singles early followed by a double that would score two runs, putting CCU up 2-0 heading into the bottom of the inning.
 
The Roadrunners answered back in the bottom of the inning, matching the Cougars two runs. Senior Brooke Lovas (Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills H.S.) lead off the inning hitting a single and then advancing to second on a Cougars throwing error. Senior Colissa Bakovich (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) then hit a single up the middle that would allow her to advance to second on a throw, sending Lovas home to get the Roadrunners on the board.  Junior Sarena Espinoza (Corona, Calif./Corona Centennial H.S.) would notch the next RBI in the inning for the Roadrunners hitting a double to left field to score Bakovich and tie the game up at two heading into the second inning.
 
The following two innings were scoreless for both sides with the Cougars making it back up on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth scoring three runs off four hits.
 
The Roadrunners were able to earn one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning with junior Carissa Terry (Moreno Valley, Calif./Valley View H.S.) leading off the inning hitting a single through the left side.  Freshman Tes Hass (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) would then pinch run for Terry and was able to steal second base for the Roadrunners. Senior Cassidy Smith (Loveland, Colo./Loveland H.S.) would advance Hass to third hitting a single to center field with sophomore Daisy Collins (Visalia, Calif./Redwood H.S.) following up hitting a single down the left field line to score Hass, cutting the Cougar lead to 5-3 heading into the fifth inning.
 
The Roadrunners had the edge in the fifth inning holding the Cougars scoreless while scoring one run in the bottom of the fifth.  Anderson was the first to make it on base in the inning off a walk. Espinoza then hit a single down the right line to advance Anderson.  Following a Cougar error Espinoza advanced to second and Anderson to third. A sacrifice fly from Terry would score Anderson making the score 5-4 going into the final two innings.
 
The Cougars were able to hold the Roadrunner scoreless with a total of two hits through the final innings while putting up one more run themselves in the top of the seventh inning, earning the 6-4 win.
 
The Roadrunners will play later this afternoon against the loser of Adams State and Colorado School of Mines at 5:30 p.m.