DENVER – Big mid-game rallies lifted MSU Denver to a doubleheader sweep over Regis on Saturday.
 
The Roadrunners scored seven fourth-inning runs in the opening game to take over what had been a tie game, and they broke out in similar fashion in the second game, scoring four in the third and five in the fourth while overcoming a 4-1 deficit.
 
In the end, the Roadrunners earned victories of 8-3 and 11-5 while bashing out 26 hits to improve to 24-8 overall and 22-6 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
 
"Regis has really good numbers, and we knew they were going to challenge us, especially with their offense," MSU Denver coach Annie Van Wetzinga said. "For the most part we made some good plays defensively, and when it really mattered our pitchers came up with good pitches. But most importantly, our offense responded.
 
"When you're going up against a tough offense, your offense needs to match it and take some pressure off your pitchers – and that's what we did."
 
In the seven-run rally in the opener, Darby McGhee's RBI single broke the tie, then Olivia Dampier followed with a two-run single and another run scored on catcher's interference as Megan Sansburn hit a sacrifice fly.
 
Shelby Robb's two-run triple made it 7-1, and then Mackenzie Jamieson capped the outburst with a run-scoring double.
 
"It's so fun," Robb said of multi-run innings. "You just know that the next person up is going to get a hit. We all know, 'I'll get on and you're going to hit me in.'"
 
In the second game, the four-run third included an RBI double by Sansburn, a run-scoring single by Robb, Jamieson's game-tying RBI single and then a go-ahead RBI single by Kayla Banks.
 
The fourth featured Jamieson's two-run single, a run-scoring single by Banks, a two-run single by Kassi Reiger and Sansburn's RBI single.
 
In each game the Roadrunners seemed to make the adjustments necessary after seeing the pitcher one time through the order.
 
"For me, that's what it is," Jamison said. "I need to know what her strategy is and what she's looking for, and then I know what I'm looking for."
 
Van Wetzinga appreciated how her team bounced back after falling behind 4-1 in the second game.
 
"I didn't like how we started the second game collectively, just where we were at," Van Wetzinga said. "When we came off the field after the top of the third, we talked about it, just said that we had to be better and to attack the game better mentally and with more energy. And they responded, and it was awesome to see that response."
 
McGhee (13-2) pitched a complete game to win the opener, and Destinee Lopez (10-2) did the same in the nightcap.
 
Robb went 4-for-7 for the day, with two triples, three RBIs and a stolen base. She extended her hitting streak to 18 games and moved her batting average to a surreal .526 as a true freshman.
 
"Most of the time I feel pretty comfortable," Robb said. "I just try not to overthink it too much. When I get in my head and get too worked up, I start to press too hard. And that's when I don't have the success that I want at the plate. So I have to trust that I can hit the pitches I'm thrown back where they came from."
 
Said Jamieson: "What freshman comes out and hits over .500? She's someone I want to be more like in the batter's box."
 
A freshman herself, Jamieson went 3-for-8 with a double and four RBIs, and she's second on the team (behind Robb) with 27 RBIs. She seems to have a knack for coming up with big hits with runners on base.
 
"We don't talk about that," Jamieson said, laughing at the superstition. "Honestly I just try to 'stay cool, hit ball."
 
Robb and Jamieson had plenty of help Saturday.
 
Banks went 4-for-5 with two RBIs, Sansburn was 3-for-5 with three RBIs, Dampier was 3-for-8 with two RBIs and Kami Grammerstorf was 2-for-4 with four runs and a stolen base.
 
"It's nice for our pitchers, because they know they can trust our offense," Robb said. "Because at the beginning of the year we weren't where we needed to be (offensively). Now everybody, 1 through 9 in the lineup, pinch-hitters, everyone is hitting and it's a lot of fun."
 
Said Van Wetzinga: "Up and down the lineup I think we're hitting the ball harder and more consistently. We're swinging the bat with more authority. That's come a long way, even in the last 2 ½ weeks."
 
With Senior Day scheduled for Sunday, Van Wetzinga can rest assured that the program will still remain in good shape moving forward.
 
Besides Robb and Jamison (.351), Grammerstorf is hitting .395 as a true freshman.
 
"It's exciting," Van Wetzinga said. "We have older players doing good things, and all three of our true freshmen are in the lineup doing really good things. So that's exciting for the future and it's exciting they can jump in and blend in with our experienced players."