DENVER – Despite a somewhat surprising setback in the opening game, the MSU Denver softball team got a step closer to solidifying its stake to the second seed for the RMAC Tournament on Friday.
 
The Roadrunners split a doubleheader with New Mexico Highlands, dropping the opener 5-4 after giving up four runs in the top of the seventh and then bouncing back for an 8-0 win that was stopped after five innings due to the run rule.
 
"It was a kick in the butt," catcher Jaiden Geist said of the first game. "It showed us we had to pick it up a little bit if we want to play any team in the RMAC. People come to play softball. We can't take a game off any more. It was good to get us going."
 
Geist ended the second game by leading off the bottom of the fifth with a long homer, which led to the application of the eight-run rule.
 
It capped a 5-for-7, three-RBI day for the sophomore, who extended her hitting streak to seven games, during which she is 11-for-22 (.500) with three homers and 11 RBIs.
 
"It's nice to see, and it's good timing," MSU Denver coach Annie Van Wetzinga said. "It's something we need, and expect, from her. She's a strong, physical kid and it's good to see her putting it together. That last one was tagged. It was a no-doubter."
 
Geist is now batting .357 with nine homers and 41 RBIs, and is on a roll with post-season play right around the corner.
 
"I've had a couple of iffy weeks, and now I'm starting to see the ball better," Geist said. "I'm trusting my swing. And I'm just trying to get a base hit. Even the last at-bat, I was just thinking about getting on base. I'm trying to not do too much and keeping my swing simple."
 
MSU Denver has a magic number of one – either one victory or one Colorado Mesa loss – to clinch the No. 2 seed and first-round bye for next week's double-elimination RMAC tournament. The Roadrunners have a doubleheader with Highlands again Saturday at noon, while Mesa plays a doubleheader at Colorado School of Mines to close the regular season.
 
It second seed would have been wrapped up had the Roadrunners (31-20 overall, 27-13 RMAC) held on to win the opener, but the upstart Cowgirls (20-29 overall, 16-25 RMAC) had other ideas.
 
"Highlands has been playing people tough, and we had talked about that," Van Wetzinga said. "They feel good and feel like they're close to taking a big step – they've taken a step already this year. They play good defense. They don't give you a lot, and you have to earn it.
 
"And we left nine people on base. We couldn't get the big hit. We were doing the hard part – putting people on – but I think people were trying to do too much with runners on rather than just relaxing and trusting their swing."
 
Leadoff hitter Hannah DiFabio, 1-for-2 with two walks in the opener, was 3-for-3 in the second game, and Jenna Medhus was 2-for-3 with a run batted in.
 
Cheyenne Prieto (9-4) pitched a complete-game two hitter – she's pitched 10 scoreless innings while allowing only three hits in her last two appearances.
 
"We were together the second game," Geist said. "We were looser. We weren't trying to do too much in the moment. We trusted each other."