GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – No. 2 seed MSU Denver opened RMAC Tournament play in dominant fashion Wednesday afternoon, rolling past No. 5 seed Colorado School of Mines 19-6 to advance in the winner's bracket.
With the victory, the Roadrunners improve to 37-14 overall and will now face the winner of Wednesday's matchup between UCCS and CSU Pueblo on Thursday at 7 p.m.
MSU Denver's offense exploded from the start and never slowed down, piling up 19 runs behind contributions throughout the lineup. Seven different Roadrunners recorded multi-hit performances as the offense continued one of its strongest stretches of the season.
First team All-RMAC selection Royce Vandine led the charge, going 2-for-3 with four RBIs, three runs scored, three walks, and a home run. Marques Abulhosn added another big postseason performance, finishing 2-for-5 with three RBIs, two runs scored, a walk, and a home run of his own.
Jared Swarbrick continued his strong season at the plate, going 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Alek Martinez delivered a 3-for-5 performance with two RBIs and two runs. Brayden Oram reached base consistently throughout the afternoon, finishing 3-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs, two runs scored, and two walks.
Brooks Rasmussen also sparked the offense at the top of the lineup, going 3-for-4 with four runs scored, three RBIs, and two stolen bases as the Roadrunners applied pressure offensively all game long.
The turning point came early, as MSU Denver quickly built momentum with multiple crooked-number innings, forcing Mines to play from behind the entire afternoon. The Roadrunners continued to add on throughout the middle innings, turning the game into a rout behind timely hitting and aggressive base running.
On the mound, first team All-RMAC pitcher Jake Syverson delivered another quality postseason outing to earn the win. The right-hander tossed six innings, allowing just one hit and three runs while keeping the Orediggers off balance for most of the afternoon.
With the offense clicking and Syverson setting the tone on the mound, the Roadrunners now move one step closer to the RMAC Tournament championship as they continue play Thursday night in Grand Junction.
