GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — The MSU Denver Roadrunners softball team earned a split Sunday afternoon on the road against Colorado Mesa Mavericks, taking the opener 1-0 before falling 10-2 in game two. With the doubleheader split in Grand Junction, the Roadrunners move to 10-6 overall and 5-3 in RMAC play.
Game One: MSU Denver 1, Colorado Mesa 0
In a tightly contested pitcher's duel, Natalie Romero delivered one of her strongest outings of the season. The right-hander tossed a complete-game shutout, scattering five hits over seven innings while walking just one on 92 pitches. Romero improved to 4-3 on the year, consistently pitching out of minor traffic and inducing key groundouts to keep the Mavericks off the scoreboard.
The game's lone run came in the top of the second inning. After a quick out, Brooklyn Enny drilled a solo home run to right field, a no-doubt shot that proved to be the difference. It was Enny's first homer of the day and supplied all the offense Romero would need.
MSU Denver threatened to add insurance in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, Cheyenne Prieto singled and advanced to third following a fielder's choice and a passed ball, but Colorado Mesa worked out of the jam.
In the fifth, Kassidy Juarez and Lexi Gephart opened with back-to-back singles, and a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. The Mavericks escaped again, but Romero continued to slam the door.
Colorado Mesa's best opportunity came in the fourth inning when a single and a walk put two on with two outs, but Romero induced a lineout to third to end the threat. She retired the side in order in the fifth and worked around a two-out single in the sixth before closing the game with a groundout in the seventh.
Offensively, MSU Denver totaled seven hits, with Zoe Stanzyk, Juarez, Prieto, Gephart, Janessa Esquibel and Natalie Shellhorn each recording a hit in support of Enny's decisive blast.
Game Two: Colorado Mesa 10, MSU Denver 2
The Mavericks responded in the second game, using a big inning to pull away en route to a 10-2 victory.
Enny once again provided the Roadrunners' offense. Trailing early, MSU Denver cut into the deficit in the fourth inning when Enny launched a two-run home run — her second of the day — to score the only two runs for the Roadrunners. Enny drove in all three of MSU Denver's runs on the afternoon.
Kassidy Juarez accounted for the only other hit in the contest for the Roadrunners, as Colorado Mesa limited the visitors' opportunities at the plate.
In the circle, Kianna Butler provided relief work, tossing 2.1 innings while allowing three runs and striking out four batters.
The Roadrunners now sit at 10-6 overall and 5-3 in conference action as they continue their season slate.
