DENVER – MSU Denver baseball battled through a long Saturday at home, splitting a doubleheader with the CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves to move to 32-8 overall and 20-2 in RMAC play.
After dropping the opener, the Roadrunners responded with an emphatic win in game two behind a dominant pitching performance and timely power hitting.
Game One: CSU Pueblo 11, MSU Denver 6
The Roadrunners showed resilience throughout game one but were undone by a late offensive surge from CSU Pueblo.
MSU Denver answered an early deficit in the first inning when Jared Swarbrick delivered an RBI single to tie the game. The Roadrunners grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fourth after Noah Wicks came around to score on an RBI double from Alek Martinez.
The turning point came in the fifth inning, when CSU Pueblo broke through for three runs to flip the game and take a 4-2 lead. MSU Denver chipped away and mounted its best rally in the seventh inning, scoring three runs to tie the game at 5-5 after a key RBI from Brayden Oram and a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to Wicks.
However, the ThunderWolves responded immediately in the eighth with a decisive four-run inning, highlighted by a three-run home run that swung momentum for good. CSU Pueblo added insurance in the ninth to secure the 11-6 win.
At the plate, Swarbrick (2-for-4, RBI), Wicks (2-for-4, run, RBI), Royce Vandine (2-for-3, two runs, walk), Martinez (2-for-4, two RBIs), and Oram (2-for-4, run, RBI) all contributed to a 13-hit effort.
On the mound, Jake Syverson turned in a solid start, going 6.1 innings while allowing five runs on five hits.
The loss was charged to Michael Banderas, who fell to 2-2 on the season after CSU Pueblo's late surge.
Game Two: MSU Denver 10, CSU Pueblo 3
MSU Denver responded in dominant fashion in game two, using an explosive early offensive attack and a complete-game effort on the mound to even the series.
After falling behind 1-0, the Roadrunners erupted for five runs in the second inning to take control. The rally was sparked by a two-RBI single from Blake Wilson, followed by a two-run home run from Brooks Rasmussen that made it 5-1 and shifted momentum firmly in MSU Denver's favor.
The Roadrunners continued to pour it on in the third when Wilson struck again with a two-run home run, extending the lead to 7-1. They added insurance in the fourth and fifth innings, including an RBI from Wicks and another run-scoring hit from Rasmussen to build a commanding 10-2 advantage.
Wilson led the offensive explosion with a perfect 2-for-2 day, driving in four runs and scoring three times, while Rasmussen went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a home run. Marques Abulhosn added two hits and a run, while Lathan Buzard and Martinez each contributed to the balanced attack.
On the mound, Alejandro Maltos-Garcia delivered one of his best outings of the season, tossing a complete-game seven innings. He allowed just three runs (two earned) on nine hits while striking out six, earning the win to improve to 4-1.
With the split, MSU Denver will look to secure the series on Sunday as the Roadrunners close out the weekend with another doubleheader at home.
