DENVER – The 21
st- and 26
th-ranked MSU Denver baseball team showcased its offensive depth Saturday while completing a doubleheader sweep of Adams State by scores of 9-2 and 21-6.
Already leading 12-4 after five innings of the seven-inning nightcap, Roadrunners reserves went 3-for-5 with two homers and six RBIs in a nine-run sixth.
"We have a lot of good players," MSU Denver coach
Ryan Strain said. "All the guys coming off the bench could start for a lot of teams. They're just playing behind some really good players. They don't complain. I know they're frustrated. The worst part of my job is writing out the lineup … it's hard to make a lineup and have to leave guys out of it."
Included in the fireworks, which delayed the start of the post-game fireworks show, were a three-run homer by
Keegan Vialpando and a two-run homer by
Peter Goldy.
"I'm really happy for those guys," Strain said. "And that's one thing I'm always preaching to our team about is playing for your teammates – because they work hard, too. They're here every single day, taking batting practice, doing the extra work.
"You never know when you're going to get a chance, and unfortunately we hadn't played great for most of the day. But we got some things going and broke it open and I could get some guys in – and the good part is they all kept getting hits. Lance (Kelly) got a big two-strike hit with two outs, and if he doesn't do that, then guys don't get the opportunity to hit the home runs."
Reichle Arcilise (6-1) pitched seven strong innings in the opener, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out 11.
Zane Covey finished up with four more strikeouts in two scoreless innings.
Andrew Hayes (7-1) was the second-game winner, allowing four runs on seven hits in five innings.
Brady McLean and
Ryan Overboe finished up.
"We pitched it pretty well today," Strain said. "It was good to see guys come in and fill it up."
MSU Denver (32-8 overall, 17-5 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) has now won 10 straight games and 16 of its last 17. The Roadrunners will seek to extend those streaks in Sunday's noon doubleheader at the Assembly Athletic Complex.