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Baseball splits with Hastings
by Mark Held
The Metropolitan
Up and down play by Metro baseball this weekend at Auraria Field led to a split in the four game series against the Hastings College (Neb.) Broncos (3-4 NAIA).
In the first game last Friday, Roadrunner pitchers could not suppress Hastings' offense as they defeated the 'Runners 11-7. Metro starting pitcher Brad Swartzlander (2-1) hit a bump in the road after two dominating starts to begin the season. Swartzlander gave up 11 hits in five innings and surrendered five earned runs.
In the second game, the 'Runners (8-4) bounced back to pick up an 8-4 win on the six inning, four run and ten strikeout performance by senior starting pitcher Blake Eager. The 'Runners jumped out to a three-run lead in the first with an RBI double by junior first baseman James Edwards and a two-run homer by senior third baseman Ricky Fuller. Metro tacked on one more run before the Broncos came charging back in the fourth with two home runs, a double, a triple and a single to tie the score at four. Fuller and Cleland each added a sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning to give the Roadrunners the lead for good.
On Saturday, the 'Runners hosted another double header with the same results, a loss in game one and a solid victory in game two. In the first game, Metro got off to an early lead of 4-0 after three innings, but Hastings came back with three runs in the top half of the fourth and three runs in the final two innings to give them a 6-4 victory.
In the final game, Metro needed a win to avoid losing the series. Their bats came alive to the tune of 15 runs, including a seven-run fourth inning. Not only was the 'Runner offense in sync, but sophomore pitcher Brady Carlson was impressive in his first start of the season. Carlson went five innings and gave up five hits and two runs to notch his first victory. Metro put the Broncos down 15-2.
The most positive statistic the 'Runners can take from this weekend is zero errors in four games.
"We credit that to our position players working hard in practice," Swartzlander said. "They challenge themselves in practice and in games to not make errors."
Metro heads to Pueblo this Friday and Saturday to take part in the RMAC Preseason Tournament. |
