DENVER – The offensive fireworks were on display in the Roadrunners two wins over Montana State-Billings on Saturday afternoon. 
 
MSU Denver scored 28 total runs on 28 hits in the doubleheader to open their 2025 season with two victories. Head Coach Annie Van Wetzinga was just happy her team was able to face someone other than themselves.
 
"The fun stuff is going out there and compete," Coach Van Wetzinga said. "There's such a build up for it, we have the entire first semester, then winter break and then have to wait until February. It's fun to be out here, to do our thing, there's some good stuff and some stuff we have to work on." 
 
Game one saw the Roadrunners fall behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning, but the home team responded in their half of the first with a five-run inning. Jaiden Geist doubled to left centerfield to drive in Genevieve Bower and Adrianna Bueno also reached second base bringing in Miki Berg.
 
The offense didn't stop in the first inning, as the Red and Blue scored three runs in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth. Bower finished game one going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, Geist also had two base hits scoring twice and Alexia Boring hit her first home run of the season in the second inning. 
 
"Our offense is good," said Jenna Medhus. "I don't think there's ever a time when we are out of a game with our offense. Once we get our defense settled down, our offense can take over."
 
With the large lead, Coach Van Wetzinga was able to utilize her bench and we saw freshman Natalie Shellhorn record her first collegiate hit with an RBI triple in the fourth and we saw freshman Nelia Fee record her first Roadrunner hit driving in Shellhorn on a single. 
 
"That's awesome," Coach Van Wetzinga said. "They're excited and they're doing good things. We have a little bit bigger roster than we have had the last little bit and it means we have some people that can do some things and we have to try different ways to give them opportunities and see what they can do."
 
Natalie Romero went the distance from the circle earning the win, going five innings and giving up just two runs on four hits while striking out a pair of Yellow Jackets. 
 
Game two had a different feel, as MSUB jumped out to a four-run lead in the second inning. The Roadrunners were able to respond with a two-run second inning, as Aaliyah Arellano and Shellhorn drove in a couple of runs. 
 
A Winter Hurst RBI single put the Yellow Jackets up 5-1 after the top of the third inning, and then the Roadrunners offense came alive once again to score nine runs in their half of the third.
 
Medhus saw two plate appearances in the third inning and hit her first home run of the season on a 3-run blast with her first at bat. In her second, the junior drove in two more runs to finish the game tying a career-high with five RBI. After coming off shoulder surgery last year, Medhus looks to have her stroke back at the dish.
 
"I've been working hard," Medhus said on her hitting. "I didn't hit a lot of live pitching this (fall) season; just a lot of front toss and tee work, but I'm comfortable with where I'm at and I'm seeing the ball pretty well. I think I'm setting myself up in a pretty good spot for a decent season."
 
We also saw Arellano connect on her first round-tripper of 2025 going deep in that third inning driving in two more. She finished the game 2-for-2 with a double, a home run and three RBI. 
 
MSU Denver carried an 12-5 lead into the fourth inning, when Billings was able to plate two more runs to cut into the Roadrunners lead. Both Kennedy Dypwick and Marleigh Nieto had RBI doubles. 
 
But the in the bottom of the fifth, both Jennessa Esquibel and Geist were able to reach on singles right before Boring went yard for the second time on the day, giving the Roadrunners the final 15-7 win on the walk-off home run. 
 
"I felt really comfortable in the box," Boring said. "Just trusting in everything I put in throughout the fall and not thinking and just see-ball, hit ball and hoping it pans out. (On the home run) Honestly I was stepping in the box and I was trying to manifest it a little bit and it worked and we got to go home early today."
 
Boring also dealt with injuries last season and coach is thrilled with how the first day went for her senior outfielder. 
 
"I'm so proud of Lex," Coach Van Wetzinga said on Boring. "In her freshman year she was behind some people, she had to develop a little bit better, and honestly not everyone is willing to do that. She listens, she coachable, she threw herself in what she needed to do offensively and you can see it paying off."
 
MSU Denver will finish their four-game set with Montana State-Billings tomorrow morning with the first pitch taking place at 11 a.m. mountain time.