DENVER – After a shaky start to the season, the MSU Denver pitching staff appears to be restoring order.
 
Reichle Arcilise pitched around some bad first-inning luck and the Roadrunners didn't give up a run the rest of the day to defeat Sioux Falls (S.D.) 5-3 on Saturday. Brady McLean pitched 2 2/3 scoreless relief innings and Gabe Austin worked the ninth for his second career save as MSU Denver evened the series and improved to 4-5 overall.
 
"I've been pretty hard on them," MSU Denver coach Ryan Strain said of his pitching staff. "Maybe I just need to be hard on everybody.
 
"I was firm with them, and our coaches, this week about what they needed to get done and what needed to get better. And to their credit, they did a really good job – that's a good-hitting team, every guy they have back hit over .300 last year."
 
MSU Denver gave up just one hit after the third inning.
 
"I've been telling these guys all fall and all spring that I think we're gross," Arcilise said in a complimentary manner. "I think this is going to be one of the best staffs in the RMAC and maybe the nation if we can control our stuff. But we're young and guys are trying to figure out their roles."


 
After missing some time in the preseason, Arcilise has been building arm strength and got his first start of the season. He was tagged for three runs – two unearned – in the first, but surrendered little else. In 5 1/3 innings had gave up five hits, walked one and struck out nine while improving to 15-8 for his career.
 
McLean got a big double-play on his first pitch as the Cougars popped up on an attempted squeeze play. The left-hander then sailed through the seventh and eighth.
 
"That's what Brady can do," Strain said. "He should do that every time. His stuff is good and they don't hit him if he gets ahead (in the count)."
 
Then Strain called upon Austin, the sixth-year senior who has worked in every conceivable bullpen role.
 
"We're looking for a closer, someone who can shut it down, and Gabe has been here for like 20 years and looks like a grown man out there," Strain said. "He can intimidate them. And he was really good today. His pitches were good."
 
The Roadrunners' bullpen, looking to replace all-time RMAC saves leader Eric Cox, struggled in several early losses this season but seems to have turned the corner.
 
"The close ones have been tough losses," Austin said. "It's hard when you've got a lead and it gets away from you. But I think it's going to make our pitching staff stronger. The last two days we've really shown that. … Sometimes a little tough love is what you need. It's given us some valuable lessons and put some things in perspective.
 
"As long as we keep learning from it, I think it's going to work out well for us."
 
Now if the MSU Denver offense, a lethal force for the past three years, can get rolling, watch out.
 
Zach Schuler hit a two-run double has part of a four-run first inning, but MSU Denver pushed across just one more run the rest of the way while leading 12 runners on base.
 
"Our offense is struggling," Strain said. "These guys are way too good as hitters to be struggling the way we are. I'm shocked at the way we've swung the bats compared to the fall and the first weekend of the season.
 
"Guys are trying to do much, and we're giving a lot of guys chances and it's hard to hit when you don't play every day. But you've got to step up and show us good at-bats in order to get back in there. And our big boys in the middle, our (three) All-Americans, have got to do better."