COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The MSU Denver baseball team powered its way to a statement win Friday afternoon, using a historic performance at the plate to take down UC Colorado Springs 19-12 on the road.
The Roadrunners (33-10, 21-4 RMAC) erupted for 19 runs on 17 hits, tying a program record with nine home runs in a wild, back-and-forth slugfest on the road.
It didn't take long for the fireworks to begin. Marques Abulhosn set the tone immediately, launching a solo home run in the top of the first inning.
After UCCS answered to tie it, Abulhosn struck again in the third with another solo shot to give MSU Denver the lead for good.
That swing ignited a game-changing inning.
With one on, Lathen Buzard crushed a three-run homer to push the advantage to 5-1, and the Roadrunners weren't close to finished. On back-to-back-to-back swings, Royce Vandine and Alek Martinez each went deep, capping a stretch of four home runs in the inning and blowing the game open at 7-1.
That third inning proved to be the first major turning point, as MSU Denver seized full momentum.
The Roadrunners kept adding on, building a 9-2 lead before UCCS began to chip away. The Mountain Lions scored three in the fifth and two more in the seventh to make it 9-7, putting pressure back on MSU Denver.
But every time the hosts threatened, the Roadrunners had an answer.
In the eighth, Noah Wicks delivered a two-run homer, and later in the inning Michael Deitz added a three-run blast to stretch the lead to 14-7.
Even after UCCS surged again with a five-run eighth to close within 14-12, MSU Denver delivered the knockout blow in the ninth.
Brayden Oram launched a three-run homer, and fittingly, Abulhosn capped the historic day with his third home run of the game—a two-run shot that sealed the 19-12 victory and etched his name into the record book.
Abulhosn's performance was nothing short of remarkable, finishing 3-for-4 with four RBIs and four runs scored, becoming the first Roadrunner since 2024 to hit three home runs in a game. His power display headlined a lineup that produced runs up and down the order.
Jared Swarbrick was a constant presence on the bases, going 4-for-6 with three runs scored and a walk, while Wicks added two RBIs and two runs with his homer. Buzard finished 2-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs, and Martinez reached base five times, going 2-for-3 with three runs, three walks, and an RBI, including a home run.
On the mound, Jake Syverson earned the win, improving to 6-0 on the season after tossing six innings. He allowed seven runs on 12 hits while striking out six, navigating early traffic and doing enough to hold the lead during the offensive onslaught.
In a game packed with momentum swings, the Roadrunners' relentless power proved to be the difference. From the third-inning home run barrage to the late-game insurance, MSU Denver delivered a statement win—one fueled by record-setting pop and a historic day at the plate from Abulhosn.
