DENVER – MSU Denver's softball offense came out firing on all cylinders Saturday, but when the time came for a little late-inning tuneup, pitcher
Sarah Norton was able to tow the Roadrunners away from trouble.
In the end, the Roadrunners swept a doubleheader from New Mexico Highlands on Strikeout Cancer Day at the Assembly Athletic Complex, cruising to a 13-2 win in the opener that was cut to five innings due to the eight-run rule, then hanging on behind Norton's right arm to win the second game 6-4.
"Statistically it went pretty well today with two wins, but tomorrow we want to do better and take care of business," first baseman
Rebecca Gonzales said. "We have to take better advantage of our opportunities and get the ball rolling even faster."
Gonzales tied the opener 2-2 with a two-run single in the second inning as part of a 2-for-4, three-RBI game, and her RBI triple in the second inning of the nightcap – she scored on the play as well as the result of a throwing error – made it 5-2.
After banging out 11 hits in four innings in the first game – including
Katie Maney's go-ahead, two run homer to make it 4-2 – MSU Denver had just eight hits in six innings in game two while leaving eight runners stranded.
"Timely hits," MSU Denver coach
Annie Van Wetzinga said of the first game. "We were getting on base and having disciplined at-bats to get there. We did half of that the second game. We just want to continue working on the consistency of quality at-bats."
The Roadrunners (16-11 overall, 6-6 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) led 6-4 after three innings of the second game, and ultimately that was all Norton (5-3) needed in relief.
"I'm really happy with the way Sarah came on in relief," Van Wetzinga said. "She really attacked well. I liked the way she pitched. I give a lot of credit to her for keeping it steady and getting us out of there."
Coming on to start the fourth inning, Norton pitched four scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and a walk while striking out a season-high nine among her 12 outs.
"I was feeling really good, just trying to execute my pitches," Norton said. "I wasn't necessarily looking to get all those strikeouts. I just wanted to make them put the ball in play and let my defense work."
Still, with the offense stagnant, things got sticky in the seventh.
After a leadoff walk and a two-out single, Heaven Medina strode to the plate for Highlands (4-18, 2-12). Medina, the Cowgirls' cleanup hitter, had homered in the first game, and a similar result would have put her team ahead.
"That had been their best hitter all day, so that was a little nerve-wracking for us," Norton said. "But I trusted my defense and that if I threw a good pitch that they would make a good play."
Norton induced a game-ending ground ball to second base to wrap up the sweep.
"We had some poor at-bats with people on base," Van Wetzinga said. "Just too many weak fly-ball outs. We were putting people on. So that's frustrating. Because all of a sudden, two people are on and their best hitter is at the plate. That's the classic recipe of letting somebody hang around and that could've easily come back to bite us.
"Situations like that, our pitchers shouldn't have that much pressure on them. Our offense had opportunities, and we need to keep the gas pedal down and bust it open."
The series concludes Sunday with an 11 a.m. doubleheader at the Assembly Athletic Complex.
