DENVER – Incredible pitching. Bad timing.
Darby McGhee pitched a five-inning, one-hit shutout on Saturday to lead MSU Denver to an 8-0 softball win over Black Hills State in the first game of a doubleheader, then pitched three scoreless, one-hit relief innings as the Roadrunners rallied to win game two 3-2.
McGhee's performance may have been overshadowed by what was happening on the adjacent field at the Regency Athletic Complex, where Roadrunners pitcher Cade Crader was in the middle of pitching a nine-inning perfect game.
But it isn't to be overlooked. She struck out seven in the opener, and another five in the second game. All told, she worked eight innings, allowed two hits and no runs, with one walk and 12 strikeouts.
"Darby was really dominant today," MSU Denver coach
Annie Van Wetzinga said. "She was able to attack their hitters and get a lot of swings and misses. We needed that with our bats slow to come around. Our defense made some timely plays as well, including a big catch by
Rebecca Gonzales in right field that saved runs."
The Roadrunners trailed 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth of the second game, but McGhee's RBI single produced a run that cut the lead in half.
In the sixth
Haley Doughty tied the game with a two-out, RBI double to right center.
And in the seventh,
Ari Valdez produced a walkoff RBI single up the middle to end it.
"Those were really clutch two-out hits from
Haley Doughty and
Ari Valdez in game two," Van Wetzinga said. "I was happy for them to be able to have tough at-bats and come through."
Shelby Robb was 4-for-6 for the day, including 3-for-3 in the opener, Valdez was 3-for-5, including 2-for-2 in the first game, and
Olivia Dampier was 3-for-6, including 2-for-3 in the second game.
But Van Wetzinga is hoping for more production.
"We need to get going offensively," she said. "We know it will come around, because we've seen if from our hitters. We just need them to start feeling it and believing it – everyone up and down the lineup and regardless of who is in the batting order."
