DENVER – Propelled by its speed on the basepaths and the ability to make key plays when necessary, the MSU Denver softball team stayed unbeaten in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play with a doubleheader sweep Saturday, even though the Roadrunners weren't necessarily in peak form.
 
MSU Denver improved to 13-6 overall and 10-0 in the RMAC by defeating CSU Pueblo 12-5 and 6-5.
 
"We definitely weren't sharp defensively, and our offense was certainly fluctuating up and down," MSU Denver coach Annie Van Wetzinga said. "In the second game, it felt like we hit cruise control in the middle innings. We talked about that. But we also talked about how, in big moments that mattered, people stepped up with big hits and big defensive plays."
 
Said Shelby Robb, who delivered the go-ahead run with a fifth-inning single in the second game: "We were definitely on our heels for a few innings in both games. But as coach told us, when we needed to come up big, we came up big. We put together some really good at-bats, strung some hits together, and our baserunning was really what kept us in both games."
 
The Roadrunners were on their toes a fair amount, too, especially while stealing nine bases in the opening-game win. Shortstop Hannah DiFabio stole four bases on her own, tying the program record set by Cassidy Smith against Western Oregon on Feb. 6, 2016. As a team, the nine thefts were the most in a game since the team set a program record with 15 against UCCS on March 18, 1990.
 
"Our best thing today offensively was our baserunning," Van Wetzinga said. "Our girls ran hard and didn't just steal bases, but they also took extra bases. I think they have fun doing it. Obviously we have some girls who run really well and look to do it, but we have some others who can surprise teams because they are aggressive and look to run the bases."
 
Robb stole a base in each game, and also scored from second base on a wild pitch that the CSU Pueblo catcher was slow to locate.
 
"It helps that they were throwing a lot of pitches in the dirt," Robb said. "And if the ball hit the ground we were taking an extra base. I don't think there's one time that it didn't pay off for us."
 
Van Wetzinga said the stolen bases were a mixture of by-design as well as instinct. The Roadrunners, who stole two bases (one of them by DiFabio, in the second game) frequently were able to essentially execute delayed steals by reading the pitch on its way to the plate.
 
"I call some of them, but they can go on their own – especially our faster kids – if they see a changeup or see a ball that's down in the turf, they can go," Van Wetzinga said.
 
In the opener, MSU Denver committed three early errors as CSU Pueblo (6-11, 1-9) took a 5-0 lead, but the Roadrunners pecked away and eventually took the lead at 6-5 with a four-run fifth. The go-ahead run scored as the runners advanced on what was ruled an infield fly (the ball dropped in front of the first baseman).
 
The Roadrunners tacked on six more runs in the sixth.
 
Jenna Medhus (6-2) was the complete-game winner, allowing five runs (just one earned) on seven hits while striking out three.
 
MSU Denver scored four first-inning runs in the second game. Robb drove in a run with a double and scored the (previously mentioned) run from second on a wild pitch. Then, with runners on second and third, both scored on Aaliyah Arellano's infield single, with DiFabio scoring from second as the throw went to first.
 
CSU Pueblo tied the game with three more unearned runs – MSU Denver had four errors in the nightcap – but Robb's RBI single through the left side made it 5-4.
 
"I knew she was going to throw a good pitch early in the at-bat," Robb said. "So I was just looking inside and sitting on that. When she came in, I just wanted to keep my hands in and keep it on the ground, and luckily it got through."
 
Miah Hartvigsen drove in another run with a sacrifice fly.
 
Audrey Burt (4-4) pitched two dominant relief innings before escaping in the seventh.
 
With the bases loaded, CSU Pueblo got within 6-5 on a wild pitch and, on the next pitch, tried to score the tying run on what would have been another wild pitch. However, MSU Denver got a favorable bounce, and the runner was trapped between third and home and was tagged out on the ensuing rundown – a 2-1-5-2 putout if you're scoring at home – for the final out.
 
"It wasn't pretty at times, but like we said last week, in a four-game series you have to find different ways to win," Van Wetzinga said. "Sometimes it's winning ugly. But our big challenge for tomorrow is to clean it up. That's a scrappy team, and they can run and play defense, so we need to clean up our side."
 
The series concludes with an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Sunday.