GOLDEN, Colo. – After tying the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's saves record on Thursday, it didn't take MSU Denver closer Eric Cox very long to break it.
 
Cox inherited a bases-loaded, eighth-inning jam Saturday, squelched the rally, and then struck out the side in the ninth for his 24^th career save in the No. 13 Roadrunners' 11-6 victory at Colorado School of Mines.
 
"He's just a tough kid who has worked to get to this point," MSU Denver coach Ryan Strain said. "He came in (to the program) as a hitter and maybe a pitcher, and he worked to find his role. To see what he's turned into … we're very fortunate to have him. I'm happy for him and his family. He deserves this, and hopefully we can get him plenty more saves as we move throughout this year."
 
The Roadrunners improved to 14-3 one day after a disappointing loss to Colorado Christian in which they squandered an early 7-2 lead.
 
"I'm really happy with the way the guys played today," Strain said. "I was about as disappointed as I've been in one of my teams in a long time yesterday – we just didn't play hard. For our program to be where it's at right now, that wasn't the kind of effort we should be giving day in and day out. I let them know that.
 
"I was happy with how they bounced back today. We got behind 3-0, but we continued to compete and scratch. Mines is a good baseball team, even if its record doesn't look great right now. They can pitch a little bit, and our guys had to grind."
 
MSU Denver put up seven runs in a third inning that was capped by Jake Williams' three-run homer and, after Mines crept within 7-6, Cody Schultz homered and Williams added a run-scoring double to make it 9-6 in the sixth.
 
Williams, Ross Smith and Caleb Albaugh each had two of the Roadrunners' nine hits.
 
Starter Andrew Hayes worked the first four innings and gave up six runs, then the bullpen was lights out in pitching five shutout innings. Gabe Austin (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings, and Brady McLean worked around four hits and a walk in his 1 2/3 scoreless frames.
 
Cox got a groundout to escape the eighth before dominating in the ninth, which came after a two-run single by Colin Stone in the top of the ninth that gave the Roadrunners some breathing room. Division II's active leader in career saves, Cox now has five this season.
 
"Hayes didn't have his best stuff today, but he competed and gave us a chance," Strain said. "And then I was really happy with the bullpen. Gabe Austin was great, Brady McLean was great, and then Cox was tremendous coming in with the bases loaded and getting out of it."
 
MSU Denver wraps up its weekend Sunday with a 1 p.m. game at CSU Pueblo.