DENVER - The stats from the Fort Hays State pitching staff were eye-popping. All four of their pitchers had ERA's under 3.00. But it was the arms from the Roadrunners hurlers that led MSU Denver to the 6-0 and 5-3 victories at home.
 
"That was the plan, we wanted to use all four (pitchers) today," head coach Annie Van Wetzinga said. "We knew Jenna and Maddy were going to get the starts, and you never know how it's going to go. Pitching can be a tough deal, and there's good lineups out there, but they all pitched to who they are."
 
Game one saw Jenna Medhus get the start and she had one of her best outings of the season. The sophomore pitcher went five innings, gave up zero earned runs, while striking out three Tigers. While she will say she was slow to get going this season due to an injury, the outstanding outing improved her record to 5-0 on the season.
 
"I feel really good," Medhus said on her performance. "I had a slower start to the season on the offensive side, and even on the pitching side, but my team had my back and they supported me. We are all here for the same reason and they have supported me through my downs and made it easier for me to get back to the top."
 
And if her stuff in the circle wasn't enough, Medhus helped her own cause driving in two runs in the fourth inning, which proved to be more than enough in 6-0 win.
 
"It made me feel really good," Medhus said. "The support I get from Coach Van definitely helps a lot even when I wasn't hitting great. She is always in my corner supporting me and giving me these opportunities."
 
Cheyenne Prieto came in relief and shutdown Fort Hays State for the final two innings earning her first save in 2024.
 
Coach Van Wetzinga was stellar in her substitutions in game one, bringing in Shelby Robb, Miki Berg and Trish Leins, who all came through with pinch-hit RBI in the four-run sixth inning.
 
Maddy Wilson made her first start of the year in game two and battled tough for five strong innings, giving up just one earned run securing her second win on the season. The senior right hander kept it simple through her outing and used her defense behind her.
 
"I know my team has my back," Wilson said. "I know when I come out here, I can just throw and I know that they'll make plays behind me and get the runs we need to win the games. My curveball was feeling really good today, it was moving a lot and I was hitting good spots."
 
It was a 1-1 game entering the bottom of the fourth, when Shelby Robb doubled and later scored on an errant throw to first base. Then Medhus once again doing damage at the plate doubling to left field driving in two. And to finish out the fourth inning, freshman Lexi Gephart drove in Medus to record her fourth RBI on the season.
 
Gephart got two starts on the day, as Coach Van Wetzinga went deep into her bench to give some players some rest and to give other players some much needed at-bats. The Roadrunners were still able to come out with two wins despite not putting out their normal lineup.
 
 "We do have a lot of talent and we do have a lot of depth on this team." Coach Van Wetzinga said. "Sometimes it's my job as a head coach to get them in and out of the lineup to give them opportunities. Sometimes players may seem off and sometimes you get a lot of games in a row, and we know the depth we have and we know what they can do out there."
 
To finish out game two, freshman pitcher Natalie Romero was flawless in her two innings of work, giving up zero earned runs on zero hits picking up her first save on the year.
 
The Roadrunners will play cross-town rival Regis University for a four-game set at home this weekend. The Rangers are off to a great start sporting a 12-6 overall record, with a pristine 8-0 mark in conference play.
 
"They have a nice pitching staff," Coach Van Wetzinga said. "They are athletic, they are always going to be tough, they are just 10 mins away, they are a rival, but they are also good. For us we just need to keep showing up, playing together and to be ourselves."
 
Coach Van Wetzinga will look to reach an incredible milestone this weekend. With two wins today, the all-time wins leader at MSU Denver will hit 500 career wins, which includes her coaching stints at the Colorado School of Mines and Upper Iowa.