GOLDEN, Colo. – MSU Denver used a four-run, seventh-inning rally and a strong pitching effort out of its bullpen to earn a 5-4 road victory Friday at Colorado School of Mines in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference baseball opener.
MSU Denver is 5-0 for the first time since winning its first nine games in 2002.
"We'll take it," MSU Denver coach
Ryan Strain said. "We didn't really swing it very well."
Trailing 4-1 heading into the top of the seventh, pinch-hitter
Cody Schultz delivered a single up the middle and freshman
Caleb Albaugh hit his second homer of the season to make it 4-3 and kick-start the winning rally.
"
Cody Schultz got that big two-strike hit up the middle and then Caleb's homer got us back on the board again," Strain said. "That got us some momentum. Those were the two biggest hits for us because they got us going."
Later in the inning,
Niko Piazza drove in the tying run with an RBI single, and then a sacrifice fly by
Owen Reynolds put the Roadrunners ahead.
Then the combination of
Carter Akerfelds and
Eric Cox kept them there.
Akerfelds (1-0), who had come on in relief in the sixth inning after
Logan Soole struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings, pitched 2 1/3 strong innings, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out six.
"He really dominated," Strain said. "His curveball was good and he really filled up zone. He competed and put pressure on them."
About the only decision that needed to be made was whether to have Akerfelds pitch the eighth or have lefty
Conner Nantkes come on.
"The way he was throwing, and who he would be facing and the part of the lineup that was coming up, I told (pitching) coach (Mark) Vig to choose," Strain said. "If you feel good, we can stick with him, or we can go to Nantkes."
Akerfelds indedd pitched the eighth, and then it was time for Cox to come in for his second save in as many appearances. Cox induced a couple of easy grounders, hit a batter, and then, with the tying run on second after a passed ball, got the final out on another grounder.
"We really pitched well and played pretty good defense," Strain said. "Hopefully we'll be more aggressive swinging the bats tomorrow."
The teams are scheduled to play a noon doubleheader on Saturday.
