LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Second-seeded MSU Denver bounced back from an early deficit to defeat third-seeded Regis 4-2 on Thursday to advance to the winner's bracket final in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference softball tournament.
The Roadrunners will take on top-seeded and national No. 8 Colorado Christian on its home field in a Friday game at 2 p.m.
With a win, the Roadrunners would move on to a 1:30 p.m. game Saturday with a chance to win the double-elimination tournament and the RMAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Should the Roadrunners lose, they would start battling back through the loser's bracket with an 11 a.m. game Saturday.
On Thursday, true freshman pitcher
Cheyenne Prieto provided stellar work in relief, pitching 3 2/3 scoreless, no-hit innings to get the win and improve to 10-4 for the season. Prieto walked three and stranded four baserunners, including two after entering the game in the fourth.
"Chey executed some big pitches in some big moments," MSU Denver coach
Annie Van Wetzinga said. "She kept her composure, which is great to see from a freshman in the post-season."
Trailing after a two-run homer by Regis in the top of the second, MSU Denver (34-20) bounced back with a run in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by
Audrey Burt before striking for three runs in the third.
"It was really important for us to answer back right away after they took the lead early," Van Wetzinga said. "Then the bottom of our order was able to get things going again the next inning, and we were able to put pressure on them with speed and timely hits."
After
Katie Maney led off the bottom of the third with a double,
Hannah DiFabio's single scored the tying run. Then MSU Denver went ahead as
Kami Grammerstorf singled, with DiFabio scoring when the throw to the infield got away from the Regis third baseman. The fleet Grammerstorf reached third on the play, and she then scored on a sacrifice fly by
Jenna Medhus.
Burt pitched the first 3 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, before turning things over to Prieto.
The Roadrunners improved to 5-0 against Regis in the last two weeks.
"Audrey and Chey combined for a really good game," Van Wetzinga said. "Our defense was really sharp, which helped us contain their speed."