GOLDEN, Colo. – For the first time in 28 games, the Nos. 19/13 MSU Denver baseball team lost by more than one run.
 
And that's news.
 
Colorado School of Mines picked up a split in its four-game series with the Roadrunners with a 17-6 victory Sunday, dropping the Roadrunners to 40-10 for the season, including 24-3 since its last multi-run loss.
 
"It's probably the worst day we've had in 365 days," said MSU Denver coach Ryan Strain, reflecting on being swept in a doubleheader at Regis on April 30, 2022. "We just didn't really compete."
 
MSU Denver wrapped up regular-season league play at 25-7 and now awaits its first-round opponent in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament. The Roadrunners have next weekend off.
 
"If we can't get our guys excited to play today, that's nobody's fault but mine," Strain said. "We'll just have to be ready to get back on track and get after it in a week and a half."
 
MSU Denver and Mines each scored two first-inning runs Sunday, but Mines tacked on four in the third and four in the fourth to lead 10-2.
 
The Roadrunners got three in the fifth and one in the sixth to pull within 11-6, but Mines put it out of reach with a six-run seventh.
 
MSU Denver was limited to eight hits.
 
"We didn't really give ourselves a chance," Strain said. "When you get behind like that, you suddenly start hitting balls at people and you stop having good at-bats. It's a fight to keep the momentum, and we had it in the top of the first, but once they got it, we weren't able to get it back."