Gillette, Wyo.- The Metropolitan State University of Denver softball team defeated Black Hills State 7-1 and 5-4 to sweep its doubleheader on Sunday afternoon.
 
In game one, the Roadrunners took a 7-1 win over the Yellow Jackets with the Roadrunners making it on the board first in the top of the second inning. Kristyn Peters (Lakewood, CO/Dakota Ridge) led off the inning drawing a walk followed by Alyssa Ritcher firing a double.  Sarena Espinoza (Corona, Calif./Corona Centennial H.S.) sent the first two runs home for the Roadrunners hitting a double to left field to score Peters and Ritcher.
 
One more run would come in the inning when Celyn Whitt (Broomfield, CO/Legacy High School) hit a double to score Espinoza and give the Roadrunners a 3-0 lead.
 
The Yellow Jackets were able to cut down the lead in the bottom of the second, however the Roadrunners and Sophomore pitcher Darby McGhee (Camarillo, Calif./Adolfo Camarillo High School) held Black Hills to just one run, forcing three runners to be left on base.
 
The Roadrunners would finalize the scoring in the game scoring four more runs in the top of the fourth off three hits and two Yellow Jacket errors. 
 
That would prove to be the last of the scoring and the Roadrunners went on to take the 7-1 win.
 
Ritcher went 2-3 from the plate in game one and Megan Sansburn (/Dakota Ridge H.S. ) went 2-4. Espinoza led the team with two RBIs in game one. McGhee improved to 12-8 on the season.
 
The Roadrunners took game two in a close 5-4 battle with junior Kylee Burnside (Idaho Falls, Idaho/Skyline H.S.) starting on the mound. The game had little offense until the top of the fifth inning when the Roadrunners exploded for five runs to take a 5-0 lead on four hits.
 
The Roadrunners were held scoreless the remainder of the game while the Yellow Jackets made a run for the comeback scoring on run in the bottom of the fifth and three in the bottom of the sixth.  However, MSU Denver was able to hold on for the rest of the game to take the close 5-4 win.
 
The series will continue with a doubleheader beginning tomorrow at 11 a.m. in Wyoming.