DENVER – In a wild couple of games on Saturday, MSU Denver was able to take the series finale against Regis in walk-off fashion.
The Rangers took game one 8-6 in 10 innings, while sophomore
Tyler Tobey came through with the sacrifice fly to drive in the winning run in the 9-8 victory in game two.
The win avoided a series sweep from the Rangers and improved MSU Denver to 14-16 overall, including 5-7 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
In game one on Saturday, MSU Denver held the lead for seven innings, which included a 6-2 lead heading into the eighth. Senior
Jake Williams started the scoring with a two-run double in the first, while sophomore
Gavin Schmeh connected on first home run of 2024 in the second inning. Senior
Zach Schuler and Junior
Cam Yuran also went yard to help extend the lead.
Brad Helton got the start for the Red and Blue and went seven strong innings, giving up just two earned runs while matching a season high by striking out eight Rangers. But he would not factor into the final decision of the game.
That was because Regis scored three runs in the eighth, a game-tying run in the ninth and plated two runs in the 10
th to secure the 8-6 victory. Senior
Brady McLean would earn the loss giving those two earned runs the extra inning.
Game two saw the home team jump on the scoreboard first once again. This time it was Yuran, who drove in two runs in the first inning. The junior outfielder was great on the weekend going 7-for-16, scoring four runs, driving in seven and blasting two round trippers.
The Rangers answered back with one swing of the bat in the third inning. Adam Paniagua took senior
Reichle Arcilise deep for a grand slam to give Regis a 4-2 lead. The number two team in the RMAC eventually extended its lead to 8-2 after a Levi Padilla home run.
But the Roadrunners were not going come away winless against their cross-town rivals.
Williams connected on his sixth long ball of the season to start the rally in the sixth inning. Tobey then drove in Schuler to cut the Ranger lead in half at 8-4. Then senior
Caleb Albaugh plated another run to get it to within three in the three-run sixth inning.
MSU Denver was still down by three heading into the final inning. Yuran once again was clutch, singling through the left side to drive in a pair. Then junior
Andre Chacon tied the game at eight apiece bringing home pinch-runner
Cal Walsh. The Chacon single moved Yuran to third, where Tobey flied out to left field for the sac fly and the walk-off victory.
The Roadrunners will next head on the road for a four-game series with the Thunderwolves from CSU Pueblo.