DENVER – The MSU Denver Roadrunners continued their scorching start to RMAC play Saturday, sweeping a conference doubleheader from Fort Lewis College at home to improve to 7-3 overall. The Roadrunners have now won six straight after opening the season 1-3.
Behind timely hitting, dominant relief pitching and a walk-off finish in the nightcap, MSU Denver secured wins of 3-2 and 8-7 (11 innings) in an entertaining day of softball.
Game One (W, 3-2)
MSU Denver wasted no time grabbing control in the opener. After Fort Lewis capitalized on an early error to plate an unearned run in the top of the first, the Roadrunners responded emphatically in the bottom half.
Victoria Pearson singled to ignite the rally and promptly swiped second and third. Following a walk to Janessa Esquibel, Cheyenne Prieto crushed a three-run homer to left field — her third long ball of the season — giving MSU Denver a 3-1 lead it would not relinquish.
Pearson continued her torrid start to her collegiate career, finishing 2-for-3 with a run scored and two stolen bases. The freshman has now recorded four consecutive multi-hit games and extended her hitting streak to nine games to open the 2026 campaign.
In the circle, Natalie Romero earned her second win of the season, tossing five innings while allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with four strikeouts. She worked around four walks and limited damage throughout her outing.
Fort Lewis trimmed the deficit to one in the sixth, but Brooklyn Levin shut the door. The right-hander picked up her first save of the year, allowing just one hit over two scoreless innings while striking out three to secure MSU Denver's fifth straight win.
Game Two (W, 8-7)
The second contest proved to be a back-and-forth marathon that showcased the Roadrunners' resilience.
MSU Denver jumped out quickly once again. Prieto delivered an RBI single in the first before a four-run second inning broke things open. Zoe Stanzyk singled home Shay Cwelich, Pearson added an RBI knock, and Esquibel chipped in with a run-scoring single to push the lead to 5-0.
Mackenzie Pearson added to the cushion in the fourth, blasting the first home run of her career to make it 6-0. Stanzyk later doubled home a run in the fifth as MSU Denver built a 7-0 advantage.
But Fort Lewis stormed back with a seven-run sixth inning to even the score at 7-7, turning the contest into a grind that stretched into extra innings.
The Roadrunners' bullpen proved critical in stabilizing the game. Sam Mader entered in relief and combined with Levin for 5.1 innings, allowing just one run. Levin was outstanding down the stretch, tossing two shutout innings in extras to earn her second win of the season.
MSU Denver's defense and pitching escaped a major threat in the 10th inning when Levin and the Roadrunners stranded the bases loaded, a pivotal turning point that kept the game tied.
In the bottom of the 11th, the Roadrunners finally broke through. After a leadoff walk put the winning run aboard, Prieto delivered again — ripping a walk-off RBI double to right center to seal the 8-7 victory and complete the sweep.
Pearson extended her hitting streak to 10 games, going 3-for-6 with two runs scored and three stolen bases. Stanzyk, Mackenzie Pearson, Shay Cwelich and Prieto all recorded multi-hit performances in the marathon contest.
With the sweep, MSU Denver moves to 7-3 on the season and has now captured six consecutive games. The Roadrunners will look to continue their momentum Sunday when they face Fort Lewis again in a doubleheader set for 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at home.
