DENVER – After coming from behind in each of the first three games of the series, winning two and almost winning the third, and then falling behind yet again in the series finale, MSU Denver apparently had had enough.
"We wanted to get out of here early, just get it done as fast as we can," third baseman
Miah Hartvigsen said, laughing.
The Roadrunners charged back after giving up at least one first-inning run for a fourth straight game and never looked back against UCCS in the second game of a Sunday doubleheader at the Assembly Athletic Complex, winning 9-1 in a game shortened to six innings by the eight-run rule to wrap up a 3-1 series win.
UCCS escaped the eight-inning opening game with an 11-10 victory.
"As a team, this whole weekend, to be able to come back in the last inning multiple times, and then the last game to put it all together, pitching and hitting, felt amazing," Hartvigsen said.
On the subject of putting it all together, a case in point is freshman catcher
Jaiden Geist, who was 5-for-7 with three doubles, a homer and four RBIs Sunday, capping an 8-for-14 (.571) weekend that included four doubles and six RBIs.
She drove in MSU Denver's first two runs in the second game with a second-inning homer and a third-inning ground rule double, putting the Roadrunners (29-14 overall, 17-9 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) ahead to stay at 2-1.
"I'm definitely settling into my role more and just keeping a team-first mentality," Geist said. "I think that's what's helping me succeed. I want to get runners in, whether it's a line drive or a long ball."
Over her last nine games, Geist is batting .467 (14-for-30) with six doubles, two homers and a stunning 15 RBIs. She's third on the team among regulars with a .321 average and is suddenly fourth with 24 RBIs.
"It's nice to see," MSU Denver coach
Annie Van Wetzinga said. "Freshman year, it's drinking out of a firehose sometimes, especially behind the plate (as a catcher), that's a big position with a lot going on. It's been really cool these last three weeks or so to watch her turn that corner, have more confidence and comfort, and now people are seeing what she's capable of. She's a very powerful athlete, a powerful hitter, and on the field her presence behind the plate has been really nice."
Kami Grammerstorf was 5-for-7 with two doubles, a triple, four RBIs and two stolen bases, and is in the midst of repeating her strong second half from last year. She is batting .421 (16-for-38) over her last 18 games and is up to .284 for the season.
"The season didn't start the way she wanted, but she's just an uber-talented kid," Van Wetzinga said. "Her speed is silly. Her skill-set is unique. She's super fast, but she's strong and she can swing it. It's nice to see her turn the corner and get back to the confidence and consistency that we know she can have. She's a very dynamic player when she puts its together."
Hartivgsen was 3-for-3 with five RBIs in Sunday's opener with an RBI single in the second, a two-run double in the fourth that started a rally from a 6-1 deficit and a two-run homer in the fifth that tied the game 9-9.
Hartvigsen is now batting .295.
"It's so cool to see them buy in, work hard, and have it pay off," Van Wetzinga said. "That's Miah. She had some really specific things to work in with her hitting, and she did it. She kept her head down. She's very deliberate in her approach every day at practice. You could tell she worked at it over the (semester) break, and she works hard in the weight room."
The Roadrunners fell behind again 10-9 in the top of the seventh in the first game before tying it back up in the bottom of the seventh on
Audrey Burt's RBI double.
Alas, after two walk-off wins Saturday, there wasn't one more comeback left this time around after UCCS scored in the top of the eighth.
In Sunday's second game,
Sarah Norton (9-3) surrendered a leadoff homer to start the game, but that was pretty much it as the Roadrunners stormed to the victory. Norton allowed four hits and struck out eight in a six-inning complete game.
"We put it all together," Van Wetzinga said. "Sarah gave us a tough outing. After the leadoff home run, she was unfazed. We challenged our players to get tough. It's going to be tough, so get tougher.
"Sarah was super steady and consistent. If she didn't get a close call, or maybe gave up a hit, she didn't change and just kept plugging away. That's what we ask. It all started in the circle with Sarah and then we put more consistent at-bats together."
The series win allowed MSU Denver to jump UCCS (19-17, 17-11) for fourth in the RMAC standings.
"You want a sweep, obviously, but it's a series win against a team that was right there with us," Van Wetzinga said. "That always feels good."
