PUEBLO, Colo. – After the most productive four-game offensive stretch in 10 years last weekend, the MSU Denver baseball team opened this weekend with its least productive two-game output since just before everyone began to understand how serious COVID-19 was.
The Roadrunners, who opened play ranked second in NCAA Division II in homers and doubles, third in slugging percentage, fifth in triples and ninth in runs, managed only 11 hits in 18 innings and just four runs Friday while losing 7-2 to host CSU-Pueblo and 8-2 to Colorado Christian.
"I'm just shocked at the way we swung the bats," MSU Denver coach
Ryan Strain said. "We were really good last weekend, and we had a good week of practice. It wasn't really anything that the pitching was doing to us, we just didn't play well, couldn't get any hits, couldn't get anything going."
MSU Denver (19-13) scored 66 runs in four games last weekend at UCCS (the most in a four-game series in program history), but on Friday was limited to its lowest run total in back-to-back games since scoring two in each game against CSU-Pueblo in the final games before the 2020 season was shut down due to the coronavirus.
The result was surprising considering that what had been an offensive juggernaut was facing opponents with a combined 7.82 ERA for the season.
And, with
Reichle Arcilise dominating on the mound against CSU-Pueblo, the opening game seemed under control despite the slow offensive start.
"He gave us a great chance," Strain said. "He was ready to go after not pitching great the last time we were here (March 12 and 13). He really dominated majority of time out there, but we couldn't get him enough run support."
Arcilise took a two-hit shutout in the seventh, but CSU-Pueblo loaded the bases with no outs.
Carter Akerfelds came on to get a strikeout, forced in a run with a walk, then gave up a two-run single on a ball that was lost in the sun.
In the second game, Colorado Christian pulled away from a 1-1 tie with a run in the fourth, three in the fifth, two in the six and one in the seventh.
"We just couldn't anything going," Strain said. "Late in the game we hit some balls hard but right at people, and they made a nice diving catch on a ball. It was frustrating. I'm not sure I've had a day like that, especially with the talent that we have on this team."