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'Runners fly high over Mines
By Eric Lansing
lansing@mscd.edu

Metro’s baseball team outscored the Colorado School of Mines 63-20 April 14 and 15 to sweep the Orediggers in a four-game series in Golden.

The Roadrunners, who have struggled in every baseball category this season, seemed to have hit their stride the past few weeks, winning five games in a row. They split a two-game series with Nebraska-Kearney on April 5, winning the second game 4-3 in 10 innings.

Metro ran on all cylinders against the ’Diggers, with superb pitching to go along with their offensive fireworks.

“We finally came together as a team like we always thought we were at the beginning of the season,” Metro catcher Kyle Christensen said. “That series was how we thought the whole season was going to go.”

Metro head coach Bobby Pierce was pleased with the sweep, but kept the focus on the task at hand.

“It was definitely exciting to see them play that well,” Pierce said. “But we have to let those games go. I wish they could think about those games for the rest of the season, but we have games still left to be played.”

In the first game of the series, starting pitcher Braden Ham continued his dominance on the mound by pitching eight innings, allowing one earned run and striking out seven Orediggers in the 9-3 win.

But this time, Ham (2-6) got the win and the run support that has been previously lacking. The offense came through with nine runs on 16 hits including three home runs. The 2-3-4 hitters, which consist of catcher Kyle Christensen, designated hitter Reece Gorman and left fielder Jake Palmer went 10-of-15 with seven RBIs, seven runs scored and one home run each.

Game two saw the Roadrunners pound out 20 runs on 20 hits, including eight runs in the final inning, to secure a 20-3 win. Ten ’Runners had at least one hit, 13 had at least one run and eight had at least one RBI. Palmer was once again the hitting leader for Metro as he had four hits in six plate appearances with four RBIs and two runs scored. Palmer also hit a three-run shot in the seventh inning to give his team a 15-3 lead.

Mines had four pitchers take the mound to try and slow down the ’Runners, but each gave up at least two runs and two walks. Mines pitcher Cory Quakenbush took the worst punishment, as he came into the fifth inning in relief and went on to give up eight earned runs on eight hits and walking three batters in three innings pitched.

Day two of the series saw the revitalization of two Metro veteran pitchers who have had rough seasons up to this point. Starting pitchers Josh Eckert and Mike Bilek had their best outings of the season and led the Roadrunners to 13-8 and 21-6 victories on April 15.

Eckert, who has a record of 2-4 with an earned run average of 6.82, allowed only one earned run in six innings, walking only one batter and striking out four Orediggers.

Eckert was pulled after the sixth inning for pitcher Scott Covell. Covell gave up five earned runs, allowing Mines to pull within five in the bottom of the ninth inning. But pitcher Matt Backes came in and stopped the bleeding by recording the final out of the game.

In the final game, Bilek ensured the team’s first series sweep of the season with a five-strikeout effort, while allowing only three earned runs in the win. Gorman, who played designated hitter, stood behind the plate for Bilek and predicted a positive outcome for his buddy.

“I only caught one game this weekend,” Gorman said. “And I told Bilek we were going to get his first win this weekend and it happened. Eckert looked amazing out there, and it looked like he was throwing about 10 mph harder than usual.”

Gorman, Christensen and Palmer had their best series of the year as they contributed in all four weekend games. Gorman went 9-of-13 with nine RBIs and nine runs, Christiansen went 8-of-17 with six runs and seven RBIs and Palmer finished the series with 11 hits in 19 at-bats with seven runs scored and 12 RBIs.

“I just wanted to go out there and play the game like it’s supposed to be played,” Gorman said. “I’m glad everybody came through behind me as a team. Palmer, Christensen and I tried to get everyone behind us. We are trying to lead the way, which takes a lot of the pressure off the other guys.”

The sweep improves Metro’s record to 11-25 overall and 9-16 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Metro will face off against Colorado Christian April 20 and 21 for a four-game series in Lakewood.