DENVER – The MSU Denver baseball program is trending up.
 
At 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the Roadrunners are off to their best overall start since 2002 and their best league start since 2008.
 
But while chasing what was done in the more distant past, MSU Denver is attempting to put the recent past well, in the past. The future, the rest of the season, is more important now.
 
"They're a very confident group, but it's also a group that has gone through ups and downs," MSU Denver coach Ryan Strain said. "We had that really hot streak (a school-record 14-gaame winning streak) two years ago, but we didn't finish off that season the way we wanted. Last year was kind of bumpy. And we've got a lot of guys who have gone through that. Then we have some new guys who are really talented and don't know anything about all that. So it's a good mix.
 
"Overall, they're really confident but I think they realize that every team in this league is pretty good and can beat you if you're not ready to play. Those eight games are over, nothing we can do about it, so stay focused and be ready to play."
 
Next up is CSU-Pueblo, with doubleheaders scheduled for noon Thursday and Monday at the Regency Athletic Complex. The standard four-game league series from Friday through Sunday has been set aside as the teams try to get in the games before and after an expected winter storm with lots of snow.
 
"It's unique, and it's weird," Strain said. "But I told our guys when the season started that there's a chance that things like this would happen. So they're ready for it. Hopefully we can get two in on Thursday, and then hopefully it won't snow as much as they say and we can get the field cleared and play a doubleheader on Monday."
 
CSU-Pueblo is 2-6 overall and 0-4 in the RMAC after being swept by undefeated Regis last weekend. The ThunderWolves and Roadrunners split a four-game series last year in the final games before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the season.
 
"They have a brand-new coach with pretty much the same group of players as last year," Strain said. "They'll probably play a little different style. It'll be interesting. Some guys are in different roles than they were. They'll be scrappy. They've got some talented players. We'll have to play well to win, just like every week in the RMAC."
 
While MSU Denver pieces together its pitching plan for Monday, its starters for Thursday are Austin Stone in the nine-inning opening game and Cade Crader in the seven-inning nightcap.
 
Crader is the reigning RMAC Pitcher of the Week after striking out 10 in five innings in a win over Colorado School of Mines. Crader has pitched 9 2/3 innings this season (29 outs) and has recorded 22 strikeouts. He's fourth nationally in strikeouts per nine innings at 20.5.
 
Last year, in the final game before the season's premature end, Crader pitched a nine-inning complete game to beat CSU-Pueblo 2-1 with a three-hitter that included nine strikeouts.
 
"It's been really nice to have him back for another year," Strain said. "He was throwing well when the season shut down last year, and he's picked up right where he left off. It's nice to be able to give him the ball."
 
Should the bullpen become a factor during the series, the Roadrunners appear to have plenty of options as Carter Akerfelds, Reichle Arcilese and Zach Sundine all turned in masterful relief performances against Mines. Akerfelds (2 1/3 innings, no runs, one hit, six strikeouts) and Sundine (4 1/3 innings, no runs, six hits, five strikeouts) both earned wins, while Archilese (3 1/3 innings, one unearned run, one hit, eight strikeouts) got a save.
 
"I do like our depth," Strain said. "When you go through a season, things happen here and there. Having depth, and having guys coming in with some confidence, is important. Those four-game weekends, it's tough to bounce back day after day. To have other options, so you don't have to wear guys out, you can spread it out and keep your guys fresh. We've been able to do that because we've had several guys step up in the bullpen."
 
As a staff, the Roadrunners rank fourth in Division II with 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings.
 
Offensively, MSU Denver is 12^th in Division II with a .356 team batting average, 12^th with a .583 slugging percentage, 15^th with a .452 on-base percentage and and 21^st with 10.4 runs per game.
 
"There's a pretty good culture," Strain said. "They realize that this is a team and that the only thing that matters is wins and losses. Stats don't matter."