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Metro’s bats power Hastings sweep

By Tyler Watt
twatt2@mscd.edu

Metro’s baseball team swept the Hastings Broncos in a doubleheader Feb. 16 as they cruised to 8-7 and 12- 1 wins at Auraria Fields.

Despite the easy 12-1 win over the Broncos in the second game, which was led by the hard-hitting middle of the lineup that keyed a four-run first inning, and the effortless seven inning performance by Metro pitcher Armando Cases, the first game began as though it was going to be a long day for the home team.

Metro starting pitcher Steven Green (1-0) began the game by walking leadoff batter Josh Tomayer after getting ahead of him 0-2. With runners on first and second and the score already 1-0 after a sacrifice fly, Green got catcher Josh Mondragon to hit a fly ball to right field. Unfortunately, the pop fly continued to sail right out of the ballpark for a three-run homerun.

“I just didn’t make adjustments,” Green said on his first inning performance. “I threw pitches I didn’t want to.”

After falling behind 4-0 in the top of the first inning, the ‘Runners remained calm and began what looked to be a potential comeback in the bottom of the first.

With runners on first and second, all-conference catcher Reece Gorman, who was the designated hitter in the first game, came to the plate. Gorman was hit by a pitch, which would have loaded the bases, but the umpire called him back claiming he stepped into it. The very next pitch, Gorman hit into a double play and the rally was dead. The ‘Runners ended up with one run at the end of the first inning.

By the second inning, Green looked as if he had settled down, throwing a quick and decisive 1-2-3 inning, striking out two of the three batters.

“Coach got on me and said, ‘hey just keep back within yourself,’” Green said after the game. “I told the guys if they get some runs, I’ll go back out there and try to hold them.”

Metro’s offense responded to Green’s remarks, and it all started in the bottom of the fourth inning when second baseman Troy Spahn led off the inning with a deep shot to left field, making it a 6-3 game.

The Roadrunners came up to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning and left fielder Jake Palmer began the inning with a walk. After third baseman Dakota Nahm followed suit on four straight pitches, first baseman Alex Krohn singled to left to load the bases, at which point Broncos’ relief pitcher Alex Kucera was pulled after two innings.

In came right-hander Tyler Moos for Hastings, and pinch-hitter Tyree Abshire’s sent a Moos pitch down the left field line for a 3-run double making it a 6-6 game. Then Spahn continued to boost his numbers by hitting a go-ahead double to the left centerfield gap, scoring Abshire from second and giving the ‘Runners their first lead of the game.

Spahn would go on to steal third and then score on a wild pitch to give the Roadrunners their eighth run of the game.

At no point in the game did Roadrunners hitters seem to panic, and the fifth inning was a culmination of the players’ patience, composure and talent.

Spahn summed it up best, saying, “From top to bottom we have a lot of power, a lot speed, and you know … no one loses faith.”

The fifth inning would be the last time the Roadrunners would score, but the eight runs was all Green needed to hold off the Broncos. In the sixth inning, Green gave up two walks, but was able to force a ground ball, a fly-out and a strikeout.

The top of the seventh was not any easier, as Green had to face five batters, giving up one run. But again, he was able to battle through it, getting two fly-outs and another strikeout (putting his game total to nine).

Seven runs won’t look good on the stat line, but it was the factors that won’t show up in the stats that mattered in this game, like heart and determination.

Saturday’s game one win was a testament to Green’s policy as a pitcher: “Hitters win the games, pitchers just hold it.”