SPEARFISH, S.D. — MSU Denver battled until the final outs in both games but came up just short in a pair of tightly contested losses to Black Hills State on Saturday afternoon. Despite multiple late-inning rallies, the Roadrunners couldn't overcome key swings in momentum, falling to 23-9 overall and 16-6 in RMAC play.
GAME ONE: MSU Denver 5, Black Hills State 6
MSU Denver looked in control early before a late comeback fell just short in a 6-5 walk-off loss.
The Roadrunners wasted no time jumping ahead in the first inning, as Cheyenne Prieto blasted a two-run homer to center to give MSU Denver a 2-0 lead. Black Hills State answered with one in the bottom half, but the biggest turning point came in the third inning. A two-run home run from the Yellow Jackets flipped the score to 4-2 and shifted momentum.
Natalie Romero (9-5) took the loss in the circle, tossing 6.2 innings while allowing six runs (five earned) on 10 hits with three strikeouts.
Trailing 5-2 late, MSU Denver mounted a gritty comeback. In the sixth, Victoria Pearson delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to two. The Roadrunners then surged in the seventh—Janessa Esquibel singled home a run to make it 5-4, and Mackenzie Pearson followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at five.
With momentum fully on their side, the Roadrunners couldn't quite close it out. A defensive miscue in the bottom of the seventh helped set up the walk-off double for Black Hills State.
At the plate, Victoria Pearson led the way going 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Prieto was perfect in her opportunities, finishing 2-for-2 with two RBIs, two walks, and a run scored.
GAME TWO: Black Hills State 11, MSU Denver 9
Game two turned into an offensive battle, but Black Hills State again came out on top, holding off a late Roadrunners rally for an 11-9 win.
MSU Denver answered early adversity with timely hitting. In the second inning, Natalie Shellhorn came through with a two-RBI single to give the Roadrunners a 2-1 lead. After falling behind again, MSU Denver responded in the third when Janessa Esquibel drove in two runs to even the score at four.
The Roadrunners briefly grabbed the lead in the middle innings when Trinity Kennemer lifted a sacrifice fly to put MSU Denver ahead 5-4. However, the turning point came as Black Hills State erupted offensively in the later innings to build a multi-run cushion.
Despite trailing late, MSU Denver didn't go quietly. In the seventh inning, Neila Lucero launched a three-run homer to pull the Roadrunners within two, making it an 11-9 game and bringing the tying run to the plate. The comeback effort ultimately fell short, sealing the doubleheader sweep for the Yellow Jackets.
Offensively, MSU Denver produced across the lineup:
MSU Denver falls to 23-9 overall (16-6 RMAC) after the Saturday doubleheader, showing resilience with late-inning rallies in both games but unable to overcome key mid-game swings and defensive miscues that proved to be the difference. They will wrap up the series tomorrow with another doubleheader.
