PUEBLO, Colo. – Tyler Phillips spun six shutout innings and Cody Schultz and Tyler Barth took advantage of opportunities to be in the lineup Saturday as MSU Denver bounced back from a disappointing Friday to defeat Colorado Christian 6-2.
 
Phillips (1-1) allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out eight. Surprisingly, the right-hander still has a 7.14 ERA this season, despite allowing zero runs in 24 of the 29 innings he's pitched.
 
"He had to keep us there and give us a chance, and he dominated them," MSU Denver coach Ryan Strain said. "They didn't get many good swings off him the whole time threw. He threw really well. It's weird that he has the ERA he does with all of the zeroes he's put up. But it's just one of those things and you just have to keep pitching.
 
"That might have been the best I've seen him throw."
 
Strain was especially pleased that Phillips locked down the Cougars when the Roadrunners were unable to fully capitalize on the momentum they had started to build in the bottom of the first inning, as the first three batters produced three hits and a run. MSU Denver was unable to do any further damage in the inning.
 
Leading the first-inning charge was Schultz, inserted into the leadoff spot for his first start in 22 games. Schultz doubled, moved up on the first of Caleb Albaugh's four hits, and scored on a double by Bill Ralston
 
Barth, who has started the past three games at first base after starting only two of the first 30, added a homer in the fifth to make it 2-0.
 
Barth also singled ahead of a homer by Schultz in the seventh that made it 6-2.
 
"Barth and Schultz, I'm really happy for those guys," Strain said. "They've been waiting their turn and haven't complained and kept working. They got an opportunity and they took advantage of it."
 
Ralston, second in Division II in homers, had clubbed his 15^th – a two-run shot – in the fifth to make it 4-0, but Colorado Christian scratched out two runs in top of the seventh to make it interesting.
 
After the homer by Schultz restored the four-run lead, set up man Brandon Moore struck out the side in the eighth, and closer Eric Cox pitched a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation.
 
"Moore and Cox threw really well in those two innings," Strain said. "In fact in eight innings, they really didn't do much against our pitchers."
 
MSU Denver completes its weekend Sunday against host CSU-Pueblo. The projected start time has been moved up an hour, to 2:30 p.m., in anticipation of rain later in the day. The opening game (between CSU-Pueblo and Colorado Christian, starts at 11 a.m.).