DENVER, Colo. – The Regis University baseball team (20-13, 12-8 RMAC) topped Metropolitan State University of Denver(16-17, 12-8 RMAC) 7-4 on Saturday afternoon.
How It Happened: After being retired 1-2-3 in the first inning, the Rangers offense got rolling in the second. Senior Zach Dedin recorded the first hit for RU with a lead-off solo homerun to open the second.
Sophomore Coby Zimmerman laced a 2-RBI double to left-center, scoring junior Logan Helflebower and freshman Thomas Alexander to make the score 3-0. Heflebower reached base on a single to the shortstop before advancing to second on a wild-pitch. Alexander made it to first on a fielders' choice, sending Heflebower to third. Alexander advanced into scoring position by stealing second base.
Sophomore Ryan Tierney then singled to right-center allowing Zimmerman to score the final run of the inning, putting Regis on top 4-0.
The Rangers added a single run in the top of the third and fourth to extend their advantage to 6-0. In the fourth inning, junior Connor Rochon hit a two-out single through the right side on the infield. Alexander followed suit with a single up the middle that led to an error by the Roadrunners center-fielder. The error allowed Rochon to come around to score.
The run in the fifth inning was a result of two hits and a fielders' choice. Tierney got into scoring position with a double down the left field line and made it to third on a single by senior Garrett Skillings. Dedin hit a ground-ball to the second-baseman, who tried to turn a double-play but Dedin beat the throw, allowing Tierney to cross home-plate.
The first time MSU got a runner past first base was in the sixth inning when they used a double, single, and a walk to get two runs on the board and cut the RU lead to 6-2.
Each team added a single run in the seventh. Skillings hit a SAC-fly to left-field to bring Tierney home. Tierney got on the base-path after being hit by a pitch and found his way to third on a double by Kobar.
MSU Denver's seventh inning run came from an RBI-triple that scored a runner that was walked. The Roadrunners added the last run of the game with a double and a single in the ninth inning but came up short 7-4.
Game Notes: Eight Regis players recorded a hit on the day. Tierney (3-4, RBI, 3B, 2B) was the only batter with multiple hits. Dedin (1-4, HR) and Zimmerman (1-4, 2 RBI's, 2B) each accounted for two of the Rangers six RBI's.
RU out-hit the Roadrunners 10-6.
Alexander recorded his first-career stolen base.
Kobar recorded the most put-outs of the game with 16. Regis did not commit an error in the game.
Senior Noah Gotsis (5-2) earned the win with an impressive six inning outing on the mound. He allowed just two base runners in the first five inning, recording a career-high 11 strikeouts, and giving up just thee hits and two runs.
Senior Patrick Kenny closed the last two innings with three strikeouts while allowing just two hits and one run.
Up Next for the Rangers: The Regis University baseball team will stay on the road and have a chance at redemption over the University of Northern Colorado on Tuesday, April 3 at 2 p.m.
