PUEBLO, Colo. – Eric Cox became MSU Denver's all-time saves leader, and the Roadrunners turned what is believed to be the first triple play in program history on Sunday in an eventful 8-2 victory at CSU-Pueblo.
 
The magic moments weren't mutually exclusive either, as the triple play quelled a potential eighth-inning rally against Cox before it could ever come to fruition.
 
"(CSU-Pueblo) had a little moment at that point," MSU Denver coach Ryan Strain said. "It was only 5-2, and they had two runners on base (first and third). But then … it was nuts. I've never seen a triple play before as a player or coach."
 
Max Pawlea hit a fly ball to right field, which MSU Denver's Ross Smith caught. Smith then threw home to cut down Noah Hennings, who had tagged up at third. Hennings slid wide to avoid the tag of MSU Denver catcher Austin Stone, and while Stone initially was unable to make the tag, neither was Hennings able to touch the plate. Stone lunged again to make the tag, and meanwhile Zac Hanneberg tried to advance from first to second. Stone threw him out, with shortstop Caleb Albaugh making that tag.
 
"Everyone was jacked after that," Strain said.
 
Not to be overshadowed, though, is the place Cox took in the MSU Denver record book. He had to work for his 15^th career save, going three full innings.
 
"We asked him before the game how many innings he could go, and he said four," Strain said. "With the weather coming in (it began raining heavily shortly after the game concluded), we wanted to get him in there, not knowing how long we would go (the game was already official)."
 
Cox allowed two hits and two walks in an efficient 28-pitch effort for his fifth save of the season.
 
He broke a tie with Eric Cummings (2001-02) and Cale O'Donnell (2016-18) to stand alone atop the program's all-time saves chart.
 
"He's the best closer I've seen since I've been here," said Strain, the fifth-year coach, when asked to compare Cox to other closers in both the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and with MSU Denver's non-conference opponents. "Pitching at the end of a game, he has the knack for it. His stuff is good, and other teams have guys with good stuff, too. But it's the mentality. It's a special spot, and in any game the last three to six outs are the hardest ones to get. To have a guy who is able to do that, it's invaluable."
 
It was an odd offensive day to cap an unusual offensive weekend for the Roadrunners (21-13) who came into the weekend with arguably the best offense in Division II but were kept somewhat in check while splitting two games each with both CSU-Pueblo and Colorado Christian.
 
Of MSU Denver's eight Sunday runs, four came inauspiciously – three runs scored on ground outs (including one on a double play) and another on a passed ball.
 
"We'll take them any way we can get them," Strain said. "We just couldn't really get it rolling. We had some chances, and guys kept grinding out at-bats. And as the game went along we had better at-bats."
 
The biggest blow was Smith's two-run homer in the top of the ninth, which capped a three-run frame and provided the game's final runs.
 
Cody Schultz was once again a sparkplug atop the order while drawing a second consecutive start … he was 2-for-3, drew two walks, stole two bases and scored three runs.
 
"Schultzie was huge," Strain said. "His base stealing gave us a chance to get some runs that we might not have gotten."
 
Meanwhile Josh Thompson (2-1) turned in an excellent effort in his second start of the season.
 
He gave up single runs in the first and third innings but turned in a quality start – six innings, two runs (one earned) – while yielding three hits and five walks and striking out eight, his high as an MSU Denver player.
 
"He was able to pitch around some trouble early, and then he pitched really well," Strain said. "Especially during a big part of the game where it was close and runs were hard to get."