PUEBLO, Colo. – Whenever Cade Crader trots out to the mound as the starting pitcher for the Metropolitan State University of Denver baseball team, coach Ryan Strain and company can feel pretty good about their chances to come away with a win.

Sunday's series finale at CSU-Pueblo was a prime example, as Crader stymied the ThunderWolves (10-6, 2-2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) with a complete game three-hitter to help MSU Denver (7-11, 2-2 RMAC) to a series split in the first RMAC action of the season.

"He's always going to compete out there," Strain said about Crader. "He gives you a chance every time."

Crader never faced serious trouble, holding CSU-Pueblo scoreless over his final eight frames after giving up an earned run in the first on a triple followed by an RBI groundout. After that triple, Crader faced the minimum amount of possible batters until he gave up a two-out double in the bottom of the eighth, retiring 21 of 22 hitters in that stretch with a fourth-inning walk as the lone blemish.

He struck out nine batters in the contest – his fourth start of the season with at least eight punchouts – and walked just one.

"He just commands all his pitches, which is really rare in Division II," Strain said. "The best arms in Division II can do that. He's able to get them all over (the plate). He does a nice job changing speeds. (Andrew) Chavez did a great job calling the game for him."

Crader improved to 2-1 while his season ERA plummeted to an impressive 2.57. His K/BB ratio stands at a sparkling 8.5:1 through five starts (34 K, 4 BB), while he has given up just 24 hits in 28 innings on the mound.

The dominant performance from MSU Denver's starting hurler took the pressure off the offense, which struggled to produce runs despite recording nine hits on Sunday. The Roadrunners did just enough, however, scoring a run in the second and another in the fourth to escape with a 2-1 victory.

MSU Denver manufactured a rally in the second by putting runners on via walk, error and hit-by-pitch to bring up Zach Paschke with the bases loaded. Paschke extended his RBI streak to seven games with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Owen Reynolds to tie the game at one run apiece.

In the fourth, the Roadrunners loaded the bases once again after a single by Andrew Chavez and walks from Brice Martinez and Chase Anderson. Logan Soole reached on catcher's interference as Chavez came home, giving MSU Denver a 2-1 lead that would remain for the remainder of the game.

Martinez finished 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot, while Anderson was 2-for-3 with two walks in the two hole. Cleanup hitter Cade Peters went 2-for-5, while Owen Reynolds was 1-for-3 with two walks and a run scored in the seven hole. Chavez hit eighth and went 2-for-3 with a walk, scoring the other run.

"If you lose on Friday night, you've got to find a way," Strain said following the win. "I was really happy for our guys. I feel good about how we're doing a lot of things, but we have to start doing some other things better to get out of our way.
 
"I don't think we've even scratched the surface on what the offense is capable of," he continued. "It was good to get the win especially against a quality team that's tough to play at home."

After a solid road series split to begin league play, MSU Denver will head back to the Regency Athletic Complex for an eight-game homestand. The Roadrunners will host New Mexico Highlands for a four-game set Friday through Sunday before Adams State comes to town March 20-22.

First pitch for Friday's game is scheduled for 3 p.m. MDT, while the Roadrunners will wear teal jerseys in honor of Cancer Awareness Day for Saturday's noon doubleheader. Sunday's series finale with the Cowboys will start at noon.

"Hopefully we can get ourselves on a little bit of a roll and get the offense going," Strain said.