GREELEY, Colo. – Jasmine Wessel and Abby Anderson each hit two-run homers, but Northern Colorado put together three-run rallies in both the second and third innings and held on for a 7-5 victory Tuesday night.
 
"I really liked how we hit the ball today and our approach to the plate," Metropolitan State University of Denver coach Annie Van Wetzinga said. "We were aggressive and confident. I hope our hitters saw how their approach to the plate today can lead to success and use that moving forward."
 
Wessel's two-run homer in the second inning followed a double by Laney Sheppard and gave the Roadrunners a 2-0 lead. It was Wessel's third homer of the season.
 
Division I Northern Colorado (10-28) scored three runs on four hits and two errors in the second inning, then had three runs on three hits in the third to take a 6-2 lead.
 
"Unfortunately we weren't sharp defensively," Van Wetzinga said. "We had too many mental errors combined with a couple physical errors. When you play solid competition, those mistakes will hurt you, which they did today.

"I know we're better than that defensively and we'll clean it up."
 
MSU Denver (19-22) scored a run in the top of the fifth as Ari Valdez stole home on the back end of a double steal with Megan Sansburn, but Northern Colorado rallied for a run in the bottom of the frame to make it 7-3.
 
Anderson's two-run homer in the sixth followed a walk to Wessel and accounted for the game's final runs. It was Anderson's first homer of the season.
 
The Roadrunners had the tying run at the plate twice in the top of the seventh but couldn't break through.
 
Rebecca Gonzales had two of MSU Denver's four hits, including one of the Roadrunners' three doubles.
 
Pitchers Kylee Burnside, Julia Heitz and Destinee Lopez each pitched two innings. Burnside (3-7) took the loss.
 
MSU Denver returns to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play this weekend with Saturday and Sunday doubleheaders at Fort Lewis.