Denver- The Metropolitan State University of Denver baseball team (24-23, 18-16 RMAC) fell in both games of its doubleheader against No. 8 Colorado Mesa (40-9, 32-3 RMAC). The Roadrunners fell 5-3 in game one and 7-2 in game two.
Junior
Beecher Strube (Casper, WY/Kelly Walsh High School) started got the start for the Roadrunners allowing just one run for the Mavericks in the first inning off. Colorado Mesa lead off with a double down the right line, followed by a walk. A single up the middle would score the run for the Mavericks, taking a 1-0 lead.
Strube posted one strikeout and two ground outs to keep the Mavericks scoreless through the second inning for the score to remain at 1-0 in favor of CMU.
The Roadrunners tied the game up at one in the bottom of the second inning when junior
Hunter Donaldson (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge H.S.) hit a bomb out of the park with two outs. Senior
Marcus Bean (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.) followed hitting a single to right field to make it on base but the Roadrunners were unable to take the lead with the Mavericks completing the third out.
The Mavericks stole the lead back in the top on the fifth inning after both teams were scoreless in the third and fourth. With the bases loaded CMU put three runs up on the board to go up 4-1. Junior
Jared Roley (Littleton, Colo./Heritage H.S.) entered the game for the Roadrunners at pitcher with one out and two on base and was able to close the inning allowing no more runs for the Mavs.
The Roadrunners made a strong comeback in the bottom of the fifth Junior Donny Ortiz Jr. lead off the inning hitting a single to make it on base. Senior
Jake Ekman (Littleton, Colo./Dakota Ridge H.S.) hit a single to make it on base and advance Ortiz to second. Junior
Trent Maloney (Castle Rock, Colo./Douglas County H.S.) then reached on a fielder's choice advancing Ortiz to third. Ortiz was then able to score the first run of the inning on a Mavericks wild pitch. Junior
Cale O'Donnell (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain H.S.) sent the second run of the inning home hitting a single up the middle to score Maloney, putting MSU Denver within one at 4-3 heading into the top of the sixth inning.
Colorado Mesa put one run up in the top of the sixth, scoring a home run to left center to extend its lead to 5-3.
Despite a hard fight the Roadrunners were unable to make the full comeback with the Mavericks taking game one of the doubleheader 5-3.
In game two of the doubleheader senior
Derek Stimpson (Colorado Springs/Doherty H.S.) started on the mound for the Roadrunners and held the Mavericks to one run in the top of the first inning. The Roadrunners earned the run back in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at one. Thurston lead off the inning making it on base on a walk. Ekman then reached on a base on a Maverick error. Maloney followed reaching on a fielder's choice with Thurston reaching third and then scoring on the second Maverick error of the inning.
Both sides were scoreless in the second inning, with the Mavs making it back on the board in the top of the third scoring three runs off two home runs.
The Roadrunners earned a run back in the third. Maloney hit a double followed but O'Donnell hitting a single up the middle to score Maloney, cutting the lead to 4-2. With the bases loaded with two outs MSU Denver was unable to put anymore up on the board.
CMU put up two more runs in the top of the fifth off a two run home run taking a 6-2 lead. They would go on to score one more run in the seventh and held the Roadrunners to two runs, earning the 7-2 lead.
The two sides will wrap up the series Sunday, May 7 at 12 p.m for MSU Denver's senior day.
