Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DENVER – MSU Denver started and finished strong its two-game set of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference softball games on Friday, settling for a split in matchups with Colorado Christian and New Mexico Highlands.
 
Colorado Christian, trailing 4-0 after 5 ½ innings, rallied for a 5-4 win in the opener, and then the Roadrunners, tied with Highlands 2-2 after five innings, finished pulled away for a 9-2 win over Highlands.
 
"We need to get better at finishing games, and if we have a chance to bust a game open and put a team away, we need to do that," Metropolitan State University of Denver coach Annie Van Wetzinga said. "We're a good team with some talent, but we still have some growing up to do to take the next step."
 
In the opener, All-RMAC pitcher Darby McGhee cruised through five innings while firing a two-hit shutout and issuing only one walk. But she was off-target on multiple borderline pitches as Colorado Christian drew three straight walks to open the sixth. All three runners eventually scored in the inning, and Colorado Christian won it in the bottom of the seventh on a walk-off two-run homer by Stephanie Day.
 
(Colorado Christian was the home team, because it was originally scheduled to host the game before it was moved to the Regency Athletic Complex.)
 
"It stinks that Darby has thrown her two best games (she pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings against defending national champion Augustana last Friday in a no-decision) and hasn't gotten a win to show for it," Van Wetzinga said.
 
"It's unfortunate and it's frustrating, and it's mostly frustrating for my pitcher, who did a great job. But I'm also frustrated because we left 11 on base. We had opportunities to completely blow that game open and we had some really unproductive at-bats."
 
After a slow start against Highlands, MSU Denver began pouring it on late.
 
The go-ahead run came on a wild pitch in the sixth inning, and a three-run homer by Alyssa Richter highlighted a five-run seventh.
 
Richter, who has primarily played third base and shortstop in her previous two seasons with the Roadrunners, got the second-game start at first base and showed well, including making a diving catch of a bunt and turning it into a double play by doubling a runner off first base.
 
"She's been working there, and it's sort of a new position for her because she's been on the left side of the infield," Van Wetzinga said. "But she's an athletic kid, and we're looking to see more plays made on that side of the infield. She's been doing everything right and working hard, and we want to reward her for that."
 
After a rocky defensive showing in the second game last week against Augustana, the Roadrunners were error-free Friday.
 
"After the last time we were on the field, to be able to put together two solid games defensively, was a nice turnaround," Van Wetzinga said.
 
Destinee Lopez (3-3) was the tough-luck loser in the opener, giving up the seventh-inning homer after pitching out of a sixth-inning jam. She came back with more solid relief work in the nightcap, giving up only a seventh-inning run while allowing four hits in 3 2/3 innings to get the win.
 
"Destinee did well in relief, especially the second game," Van Wetzinga said. "That's her role, and she's really good at it. She comes into some tough situations."
 
The weekend pod concludes Saturday, as MSU Denver plays host to New Mexico Highlands at 1 p.m. and Colorado Christian at 3 p.m.