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Metro hits roadblock on way to playoffs
Roadrunners swept by Cowboys, clinch RMAC playoff spot
By Josh Speranza
speranza@mscd.edu

Photo by Jeremy Billis • jbillis@mscd.edu Metro starting pitcher Josh Eckert prepares to deliver his pitch April 21 at Regis Memorial Field.

Metro’s baseball team tripped over a major stumbling block on their way to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference playoffs.

The block was in the shape of the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys, as the Roadrunners lost all four of their games with the Cowboys April 27 to 29, extending their losing streak to five games heading into the regular season-ending series with the conference’s top-seeded Mesa State.

Bus lag may have been an issue, as the series was played in Las Vegas, N.M., with game one taking place April 27. The ’Runners were hammered 21-1.

Metro’s relievers were hit especially hard, with four pitchers giving up a combined 14 runs in four innings of work. The Cowboys put up 10 of those runs in the fifth inning. The lone bright spot for Metro belonged to designated hitter Tyler Hensen, who hit his first collegiate home run.

The following day brought new but similar results as the ’Runners dropped game two 17-10 and game three 8-5.

Left fielder Jake Palmer provided the majority of offensive fireworks for Metro, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three walks in the two contests. Center fielder Kyle Bowman also had a productive day, contributing four hits in nine at-bats with three doubles.

Miscues cost Metro in the second game of the doubleheader, when the team committed five errors, three by catcher Reece Gorman. Down 8-1 heading into the final inning, Metro rallied to score four runs, but fell short when Bowman grounded out with men on second and third base.

“It is something that has plagued us all year,” said Metro head coach Bobby Pierce about his team’s sloppy play. “It’s very frustrating. We’re right in there and then a miscue, an error, a bad pitch, a bad call and we’re chasing.”

The final day of the road trip brought the toughest loss to swallow of the weekend. Starting pitcher Mike Bilek gave up three runs in the eighth inning and reliever Tony Weber gave up two more in the ninth as Metro fell 15-14.

Although the pitching has fallen back into its early-season problems, the Roadrunners’ bats came to life with the top five hitters in the lineup managing at least two hits each. Third baseman Brent Bowers went 5-for-6, while first baseman Josh Marner and Gorman each hit home runs.

Palmer and Gorman continued their assault on RMAC pitching throughout the weekend series, combining to go 7-for-14 with Gorman contributing six RBIs and Palmer knocking in four.

“They haven’t missed a barrel in 30 or 40 at-bats,” Pierce said. “Players like that make everyone around them better.”

The losses left the ’Runners (14-30 overall, 12-21 RMAC) tied with Regis for the final two seeds in the RMAC tournament. Regis currently holds the tiebreaker over Metro due to the Rangers’ 3-1 record in their season series.

Metro clinched a spot in the tournament thanks to losses by Colorado Mines and Colorado Christian over the weekend. Pierce focused on the positive that came out of the weekend after the four-game sweep.

“We took care of business when we had to,” Pierce said. “The offense is playing its best baseball of the year with a big series coming up.”

Building momentum heading into the tournament will be important, as the Roadrunners may be facing Mesa State in the first game.

They will be attempting to clinch Metro’s first-ever appearance in the regional tournament.

Pierce likes his team’s chances.

“The first two games are all about pitching, and Braden Ham can beat anyone in the conference,” Pierce said. “After that, everyone is out of pitching and it comes down to who can score the most.”

With Palmer and Gorman taking the reins, he may be on to something.

Metro will get a taste of their possible first-round playoff opponent when they face off against the Mavericks of Mesa State May 4 to 6 at Auraria Field.