DENVER – If any MSU Denver Athletics program is the perfect one to host Military Appreciation Day, it's the Roadrunners' softball team.
 
Five of the 17 players on the roster have fathers who have served in the military. All five are scheduled to throw out ceremonial first pitches to their daughters before Saturday's 3 p.m. doubleheader against UCCS at the Assembly Athletic Complex.
 
"It's a good chunk of our team, and it's cool to have the Military Appreciation when we have such a close connection," said MSU Denver coach Annie Van Wetzinga, also the daughter of a veteran. "Bringing them on the field, it should be a pretty special moment for the players and their dads."
 
Those two games, followed by a Saturday night fireworks display, open a four-game series with the Mountain Lions – the teams also play at noon Sunday – that are part of Alumni Weekend. The MSU Denver baseball team will be celebrating the same things concurrently in a busy weekend of action.
 
"It's always more exciting when there are more fans in the stands and there's constant excitement around the games," Van Wetzinga said. "Four-game sets against the same team can get a little tough. So building some other outside excitement around it and having more people there creating the environment is helpful."
 
Not to be lost in the excitement around the field is what will be happening on it.
 
MSU Denver is 25-13 overall and fourth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference at 14-8. UCCS is just ahead of the Roadrunners in the standings, at 16-8 in league play (and 18-14 overall).
 
"They have some good athletes, some girls who can swing it and have good power numbers, so we're going to have to be sharp," Van Wetzinga said. "We're going to have to earn it. They always have physical, good athletes."
 
The young Roadrunners team is coming off its first four-game series sweep of the season, having taken care of Chadron State last weekend, and is hoping to carry that momentum forward.
 
"It was fun to get the sweep last week," Van Wetzinga said. "It's something we've been talking about. To put it all together and get four wins was nice, and fun, but I also think it was kind of a relief."
 
Leading the way last week for the Roadrunners was pitcher/designated player Audrey Burt, who picked up two pitching wins and had two home runs among her hits while batting .700 (7-for-10).
 
Over the past couple of weeks, Van Wetzinga has had the true freshman add full-time hitting duties to her regular spot in the pitching rotation.
 
"I think she was a little nervous to do both at first, because she was trying to balance all of it and learn," Van Wetzinga said. "Now I think they're complementing each other. It's actually nice to go hit and not have to think about pitching."
 
Van Wetzinga was able to get at-bats for multiple players during the Chadron State series, and among those standing out was true freshman outfielder Alexia Boring, who was 3-for-3 with a triple, a homer and three RBIs while scoring three runs in the series finale.
 
"That's been building," Van Wetzinga said. "We've been trying to get her a few more at-bats. She attacks, which is nice, and she's strong. When she connects, it usually jumps off her bat."
 
For all the Roadrunners, the level of competition steps up this weekend.
 
"We've talked about trying to ascend," Van Wetzinga said. "Just try get 1 percent better each day. We want to build off that. And UCCS while provide a bit more of a challenge in terms of depth, athleticism and pitching. We'll have to be better if we want to get four games again."