DENVER — The MSU Denver Roadrunners bounced back in a big way Sunday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader from Chadron State Eagles softball to secure the series victory. MSU Denver improved to 23-7 overall and 16-4 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, taking three of four games on the weekend.
Game One: MSU Denver 6, Chadron State 5
The Roadrunners built an early lead and held off a late push to take game one in a tightly contested 6-5 victory.
MSU Denver struck first in the opening inning when Cheyenne Prieto launched a two-run home run, immediately setting the tone. The offense continued to build in the third inning as Neila Fee added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Roadrunners kept the pressure on in the fourth, with a sacrifice fly from Mackenzie Pearson pushing the advantage to 4-0. The biggest turning point came later in the game when Fee delivered a two-RBI single, giving MSU Denver a commanding 6-0 lead.
Chadron State responded late, scoring five runs to make it a one-run game and create a tense finish. However, the Roadrunners pitching staff held firm down the stretch.
Natalie Romero earned the win, improving her record after tossing 5.1 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits while striking out three. Brooklyn Levin came on in relief and shut the door, recording the final outs to earn her second save of the season and preserve the 6-5 win.
At the plate, Fee led the way with three RBIs, while Prieto added two RBIs and a run scored in a balanced offensive effort.
Game Two: MSU Denver 3, Chadron State 0
The Roadrunners completed the sweep behind dominant pitching and timely hitting in a 3-0 shutout.
MSU Denver once again jumped out early, with Prieto delivering an RBI single in the first inning to give the Roadrunners a 1-0 lead. In the fourth inning, Prieto came through again, drawing a bases-loaded walk to extend the lead to 2-0—another key turning point as the Roadrunners capitalized on free passes.
Later in the inning, Neila Lucero added an RBI single to make it 3-0, providing valuable insurance.
That was more than enough for Kianna Butler, who delivered a complete-game shutout in the circle. Butler improved to 7-1 on the season, allowing just a handful of hits while keeping Chadron State off balance all afternoon and striking out multiple batters in a dominant outing.
Lucero led the offense with a 3-for-4 performance, while Prieto finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two walks, continuing her strong day at the plate.
With the sweep, MSU Denver regains momentum and continues its strong play in RMAC competition, winning three of four games in the series.
