DENVER — MSU Denver softball put together a complete performance on both sides of the ball Friday night, sweeping a doubleheader from cross-town rival Regis to improve to 26-14 overall and 19-11 in RMAC play.
Behind dominant pitching in game one and a dramatic late comeback in game two, the Roadrunners protected their home field and built momentum in conference play.
Game One: MSU Denver 3, Regis 0
MSU Denver set the tone early in the opener, using timely hitting and a dominant outing from Natalie Romero to secure a 3-0 victory.
The Roadrunners struck first in the opening inning when Janessa Esquibel delivered an RBI single to right field, scoring Cheyenne Prieto for the early 1-0 lead. They added on in the second, manufacturing a run with a sacrifice fly from Natalie Shellhorn to make it 2-0.
In the third, Brooklyn Enny extended the lead with her team-leading 11th home run of the season, a solo shot that pushed the advantage to 3-0 and gave Romero plenty of breathing room.
From there, Romero took over. The right-hander was in control all game, tossing a complete-game shutout while allowing just four hits and striking out three to improve to 11-7 on the season. She worked out of multiple scoring threats, including a fourth-inning jam, to keep Regis off the board.
At the plate, Shellhorn and Enny each drove in a run, while Miranda McCoy reached base three times with a hit and two walks, helping MSU Denver maintain steady offensive pressure.
Game Two: MSU Denver 6, Regis 5
The nightcap provided even more drama, as MSU Denver rallied for a 6-5 walk-off victory, capped by a four-run seventh inning.
After falling behind early, the Roadrunners got on the board in the third inning when Mackenzie Pearson lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home her twin sister Victoria Pearson, tying the game at 1-1.
Regis responded with a two-run fourth inning and later added two more in the seventh, including a home run that stretched the lead to 5-2, putting MSU Denver in a late deficit.
But the turning point came in the bottom of the seventh.
Victoria Pearson sparked the rally with a leadoff single, followed by another base hit from Mackenzie Pearson. After loading the bases, MSU Denver capitalized on a Regis error that allowed two runs to score and cut the deficit to 5-4.
Moments later, Trinity Kennemer delivered the decisive blow, ripping a two-run double into the gap to bring home the tying and winning runs and complete the walk-off comeback.
Samantha Mader earned the win in relief, tossing 3.1 innings while allowing two runs and striking out one to improve to 4-2 on the season. She stabilized the game after the starter Kianna Butler allowed three runs over 3.2 innings.
Offensively, Victoria Pearson led the way with a 2-for-3 performance and two runs scored, while Prieto added a hit, two runs, and a walk. Enny contributed an RBI double in the sixth to keep MSU Denver within striking distance before the seventh-inning heroics.
With the sweep, MSU Denver continued to showcase its resilience, combining strong pitching, and late-game execution. The Roadrunners will look to carry that momentum into the remainder of the series as they continue conference play at home tomorrow for another doubleheader.
