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12
MSU Denver MSUD 28-16
13
Winner Regis (CO.) RUBB 25-22-1
MSU Denver MSUD
28-16
12
Final
13
Regis (CO.) RUBB
25-22-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
MSU Denver MSUD 0 3 0 6 1 2 0 12 10 3
Regis (CO.) RUBB 6 0 4 0 0 3 X 13 10 2

W: Ayers, Caleb (3-0) L: Carter Akerfelds (0-3) S: May, Michael (1)

8
MSU Denver MSUD 28-16
9
Winner Regis (CO.) RUBB 26-22-1
MSU Denver MSUD
28-16
8
Final
9
Regis (CO.) RUBB
26-22-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
MSU Denver MSUD 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 8 6 3
Regis (CO.) RUBB 3 0 0 0 5 1 X 9 9 1

W: Sloan, Ethan (5-1) L: Andrew Hayes (2-2) S: Bushnell, Cam (1)

Marlow and Owen 4.30
Paul Shepardson / Paul Shepardson Photography

Game Recap: Baseball | | David Wilson, Assistant AD-Communications

Rangers sweep Saturday doubleheader, take a 2-1 series lead over MSU Denver

DENVER, Colo. — The Regis University baseball team earned a pair of one-run thrilling victories on Saturday, sweeping its doubleheader against Metropolitan State University of Denver and taking a 2-1 series lead heading into Sunday's regular season finale.

Regis (25-22-1 overall, 19-12 RMAC) earned victories of 13-12 and 9-8 against the Roadrunners (28-17 overall, 17-10 RMAC), dropping their crosstown rivals into a tie for 2nd place in the RMAC standings with CSU Pueblo and putting the Rangers in a prime position to earn their first series win against the Roadrunners since 2017.

"You take wins any way you can get them in this game. It's a hard game and a lot of things can happen. It wasn't always pretty, but we got two wins (Saturday) and we'll gladly take them," said Regis head baseball coach, Drew LaComb. "I was glad to see the way our guys bounced back after yesterday's loss (17-11). We saw a lot more positives and we just want to build off that. We have the opportunity to win a series tomorrow and that's what we're going to try to do."

GAME ONE: The Rangers jumped all over the Roadrunners early in the first game Saturday, taking a 6-0 lead in the first inning highlighted by a two-run home run off the bat of sophomore catcher Reagan Guthrie; his fifth long ball of the season.

After MSU Denver cut the lead in half at 6-3 in the top of the second, the Rangers again hung a crooked number in the third inning with a four-run frame.

Junior first baseman Matt Marlow launched him team-leading 13th home run of the season to lead off the frame. And after two hit batsman and a walk loaded the bases with one out in the inning, LaComb called on redshirt freshman Joey Cicini to pinch-hit.

The right-handed power bat responded, roping a bases clearing double down the left-field line to make it a 10-3 lead for Regis.

"I thought Joey was a good matchup against that pitcher in that moment and he put a great swing on the ball," LaComb said. "That's what we were expecting him to do; hit the ball hard. We weren't expecting a three-run double, but he came with a big swing. And in a pair of one-run games today, every single run was big."

Those runs would prove vital as MSU Denver stormed back with a six-run fourth inning and a run in the fifth to tie the game at 10-10 all entering the late innings.

The Roadrunners added two more runs in the top of the sixth to take their first lead, 12-10, but the Rangers showed their resolve with three runs of their own in the home-half of the inning.

Graduate student catcher Roger Riley singled up the middle to deliver one run, setting the table for redshirt sophomore Trey Harrison to play hero as he delivered a two-run single two batters later to give Regis the lead back at 13-12.

The two-run single one the last of three hits in the game for Harrison, who finished 3-for-3, two runs scored and four RBI.

Regis fans had to clench their teeth in the seventh as MSU Denver loaded the bases with no outs before senior right-hander Michael May was able to wiggle out of the jam with three straight strikeouts to end the ballgame.

GAME TWO: As they did in Game One, the Rangers put themselves in front early with a three-run first inning courtesy of an RBI single by Marlow, a RBI hit by pitch for Harrison and a RBI walk delivered by freshman Zach Daudet.

Regis maintained that lead until the fifth inning, plating five more runs highlighted by another pinch-hit, bases clearing triple; this time off the bat of graduate student utility player Thomas Alexander.

 "Thomas was in the exact same scenario as Joey in the first game and he was ready to go, got a good pitch to hit and hit it hard," LaComb said. "I'm happy for both of those guys because we've struggled a little bit with bases loaded situations the last couple of weeks. For those guys to have pinch-hit opportunities and capitalize in big ways was exactly what our team needed."

MSU Denver would not go away quietly, though, as the Roadrunners scored two runs in the sixth and climbed all the way back within a run at 9-8 with two outs in the seventh before freshman right-hander Cam Bushnell was able to record the final out and pick up his first collegiate save.

In addition to Alexander, graduate student outfielder Brevin Owen was the Rangers' hitting star in the nightcap as he finished a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate including a pair of triples.

Junior right-hander Porter Hardcastle, working on a pitch count in his first start in two weeks, tossed three perfect innings on Saturday while striking out two. Sophomore left-hander Ethan Sloan came on in relief and picked up the victory, going 2.1 and limiting MSU Denver to two runs, one earned, on one hit to improve to 5-1 on the season.

UP NEXT: The Rangers will look for the series win to conclude the regular season on Sunday when the two teams battle in Game Four. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Regis Baseball Field in Denver.

Following the game, Regis University and the baseball program will honor its nine graduating seniors and graduate students.

"Tomorrow will be a great day for our program for the fact that, if we win the series tomorrow, we put ourselves in a good position for the RMAC Tournament and wrap up the regular season on a positive note," LaComb said. "Tomorrow is also an opportunity to recognize and honor our night graduating players for what they've accomplished and given this program. Regis is a great academic institution, so for them to get a degree from here; I'm just happy and proud of them."
 
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