Photo by William Moore - moorwill@mscd.edu

Both Metro second baseman Tommy Frikken (left) and right fielder Randy Lashua miss a pop-up during a game against Mesa State Friday at Auraria Field. The Mavericks beat the Roadrunners 12-7.

Metro fouls out in RMAC tourney
Roadrunners go 0-4 in preseason conference play
By Eric Lansing
lansing@mscd.edu

   The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference preseason tournament came and went this weekend at Auraria Field as the Metro baseball team lost all four games they played.
   Metro began the tournament against Mesa State, which jumped out to an early 3-0 lead through the first two innings. The score would soon be evened on a three-run home run from sophomore Jake Palmer who nailed a 3-1 pitch over the left-center wall. It marked Metro’s first home run of the season.
   “ I have been struggling the past two weeks and I found my comfort zone today,” Palmer said.
   Mesa State bounced right back in the top of the fourth by scoring three more runs, making the lead 6-3.
   The Roadrunners set up another comeback attempt in the bottom of the fifth inning when, after two outs, sophomore Reece    Gorman was hit by a pitch and then stole second to put the team in scoring position. Senior first basemen Mike Hoefs then delivered a long single to right field that scored Gorman from second base. Palmer came through again by hitting a double down the left field line that scored Hoefs and cut Mesa’s lead to 6-5.
   But the Mavericks proved too much for the Roadrunners, as they put up three runs in both the seventh and eighth innings.
   Sean VanElderen was the beginning of the end for Metro when he blasted a two-run home run off junior pitcher Braden Ham in the top of the seventh inning. Mesa put up six runs in the final three innings and won the game 12-7.
   In game two of the tournament Metro faced New Mexico Highlands. Things looked promising against the 2-6 Cowboys after the Roadrunners jumped out to a 2-0 lead—their first of the season.
   Highlands scored six runs in the next three innings but Metro took back the lead by putting up five runs in the bottom of the fourth. With the bases full of Roadrunners, Junior Ryan Sbresny singled down the left field line to start the scoring. Sophomore Kevin    Graham and Junior D.J. Edwards collected two RBI each to finish the inning with a 7-6 lead.
   In his second start of the season, senior pitcher Ryan Bright (0-1) found a groove through the next two innings, giving up only one hit. But Bright could not hold the lead as New Mexico Highlands put up two runs on three hits in their half of the seventh inning, giving the Cowboys an 8-7 advantage.
   There was no comeback for Metro as the Highland’s pitchers—junior Evan White and senior Jason Weldon—kept the Roadrunners scoreless through the last five innings of play. The Mavericks logged the 10-7 victory.
   “ We needed to come up with big plays and come up with big pitches and we just aren’t doing that right now,” Metro head coach Vince Porreco said. “We are still feeling each other out, and we are getting better every game.”
   Metro’s key players after the first day of the tournament included Palmer (4-for-8, two runs and five RBI), Edwards (four hits, three runs and two RBI) and Hoefs (two hits, three runs, and two RBI).
   Saturday’s game against Fort Hays provided spectacular pitching from both teams, but Metro fell short for a 4-1 loss.
   Metro sophomore pitcher Josh Eckert pitched the team’s first complete game of the season giving up 10 hits and a season-low four runs, while striking out three. Although Eckert recorded the loss, the defense played well and had no errors.
   The Tiger’s pitchers out-played Metro, giving up only one run on seven hits. Junior J.W. Westhead started the game for Fort Hays and pitched seven innings, allowing six hits, and one run, while striking out five. Westhead is now 3-0 on the year, while senior Nick Butler recorded his first save.
   “ Their guys did a great job and we just didn’t hit the ball well today,” Porreco said. “They threw strikes and just kept us off balance.”
   The RMAC Tournament came to an end Sunday when Metro faced a winless Colorado School of Mines.
   The Orediggers struck first, scoring a run in the fifth and sixth innings. The Roadrunners evened the score by adding two runs of their own off a home run by junior Troy Spahn in the sixth and an RBI double from freshman Tommy Frikken in the seventh.
   Roadrunner junior pitcher Mike Bilek, who gave up only two runs through the first seven innings, pitched a remarkable game until the top of the eighth. The Orediggers scored three runs on two singles, a sacrifice fly and a double that would end Bilek’s day with five runs allowed on 10 hits and four strikeouts.
   Colorado Mines junior pitcher Matt Thome went the distance, giving up only the two runs on eight hits, while striking out seven batters. Thome’s win put his season record at 2-1.
   When asked what the team needed to do to get that first win, Palmer responded by saying that the pitching is there and once the defense steps up, the first win will come.
   Metro will host a pair of doubleheaders March 4 and 5 against St. Cloud State at Auraria Field.