GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Nos. 13 and 27 MSU Denver baseball team got off to a slow start and never fully recovered Saturday in losing the opener of its four-game series at Colorado Mesa 17-7.
 
Though Ross Smith's two-run homer gave the Roadrunners a lead in the top of the first, Colorado Mesa scored the first of its six unearned runs in the bottom of the first and tacked on four runs in the bottom of the second. Only one of those runs was unearned, but fielding miscues likely cost the Roadrunners more than that.
 
Zach Schuler and Tanner Garner hit back-to-back homers in the fourth as MSU Denver pulled within 9-5, but ultimately the Roadrunners were unable to overcome seven errors.
 
"You just can't make seven errors and walk 10 guys," MSU Denver coach Ryan Strain said. "I've really never seen a defensive effort like that since I've been coaching. Tough days happen, but not like that."
 
Cody Schultz hit MSU Denver's fourth homer, a solo shot, in the top of the ninth.
 
"Give them credit, they didn't walk people and they made some nice plays," Strain said. "We had a lot more loud hits but that doesn't matter. When you're playing a quality team, you can't do what we did and expect to win. They didn't beat themselves."
 
MSU Denver dropped to 15-4 overall and 0-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, while Colorado Mesa improved to 10-6 and 1-0.
 
The series, which has been altered due to rain, continues with a doubleheader Sunday at 1 p.m., and wraps up with a single game Monday at 1 p.m.