14 February 7, 2013 TheMetropolitan
MetSports
Runners Wrap-up Men’s basketball
Softball opens season 3-2 Zee Nwuke znwuke@msudenver.edu
Metro 63, Chadron State 51 No. 1 Metro pulled away late for a win Feb. 1 at Chadron State College. Although the Eagles have only won one game this year, the Roadrunners were only up by three with 3:50 left in the game. In the final four minutes the Eagles went 0-4, shooting with three turnovers. Metro senior forward/center Jonathan Morse had 16 points and four rebounds.
Metro 70, Black Hills State 55 Metro tied its secondlongest winning streak in school history at 19 Feb. 2 in South Dakota. The Roadrunners committed four turnovers against the Yellow Jackets, who fell to 5-14 overall and 4-11 in RMAC play. Metro junior guard Brandon Jefferson had a game-high 20 points, 10 of them from the free throw line. Metro only attempted three 3-pointers, the fewest since 2002. Metro only had a fourpoint lead at halftime, but a 12-0 run in the second half pulled the Runners away.
Women’s basketball Metro 76, Chadron State 40 Metro improved to 13-6 overall and 11-3 in RMAC play as junior guard Cassie Lambrecht led the way with 16 points and four assists. Metro junior forward Amy Nelson had 13 points and freshman guard Autumn Chidester scored a career high 10 points off the bench. Metro hasn’t lost to Chadron State since 2004.
Metro 54, Black Hills State 44 Metro defeated Black Hills State University on the road, as the Runners used a 9-1 run in the second half to pull away from the Yellow Jackets. Metro senior guard Emily Wood scored 20 points while making four 3-pointers. Metro only shot 37.8 percent from the floor and was 16-for-21 at the line. Metro improves to 12-3 in conference play.
Compiled by Nick Ohlig nohlig@msudenver.edu
Senior pitcher Aubree Maul got her first victory of the year, only giving up one earned run in six innings during the season opener 13-5 win over Adams State Univeristy Feb. 1 at Auraria Field. Photo by Scott Lentz • slentz@msudenver.edu
Mario Sanelli msanelli@msudenver.edu Colorado School of Mines softball defeated Metro 12-0 in the second game of a double-header Feb. 1 at Auraria Field. The Orediggers tallied their first run in the second inning, when Macy Jones drew a basesloaded walk in the top of the second inning. Orediggers’ Kamee Vessey extended her team’s early lead, sending three across home plate with a one-out double down the left field line. The team added another run in the fifth and blew the game open with a seven-run sixth inning. The Roadrunners mounted their best threat to cut the Orediggers’ lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, as they sandwiched a walk between two singles to load the bases. Orediggers’ senior pitcher Kelly Unkrich struck out Roadrunner first baseman Chelsea Brew to end the inning, and the Roadrunners shot at a comeback. Unkrich pitched the entire game – six innings – and tossed 55 of her 97 pitches for strikes. She gave up no runs on seven hits and two walks, while recording five
strikeouts en route to her first win of the season. One bright spot for the Roadrunners’ offense was the play of sophomore shortstop Susie Oury, who went 3-for-3, with two singles and a double in the game. Gianna Duncan, an infielder/ outfielder for Mines went 1-for-1, slapping a two-run single past Metro second baseman Annalyse Garcia in the top of the sixth inning with the bases loaded, which increased the Mines lead to 10.
Metro softball opened the 2013 season with a split at home Feb. 1, beating Adams State University 13-5 and getting shut out 12-0 by Colorado School of Mines. The Roadrunners got off to a fast start in the first game against the Adams State Grizzlies, when junior catcher Kelsey Tillery singled to center, driving junior shortstop/ second baseman Dani Sandel in for a 1-0 lead in the first inning. “We just wanted to come out strong, play aggressively and come out with a lot of confidence,” Metro head coach Kristi Lansford said. “We did a really good job at doing that.” The Roadrunners kept the Grizzlies scoreless through the first three innings with pitching from senior first baseman/pitcher Aubree Maul, who picked up her first win of the season, going six innings with one earned run. Maul also struck out five batters with zero walks. Maul’s first RBI of the season came in the third inning, when she singled to center field bringing in Sandel to score her second run “I was just looking to get a hit,” Duncan said. “The ball looked like a beach ball and I was able to bring in those RBI.” After defeating Regis 9-6 earlier in the day, Mines improved their record to 2-0. “The past few years, we haven’t gotten off to a fast start,” Duncan said. “Everyone has a whole different mindset now. We have the first two under our belt and we’re ready to go rock and roll and get better from here.”
Colorado School of Mines junior infielder Courtney Derus makes a run for second base in the Orediggers 12-0 win over the Roadrunners Feb. 1 at Auraria Field. The Roadrunners begin the season 3-2. Photo by Scott Lentz • slentz@msudenver.edu
of the game. The Grizzlies got hot and scored a few runs in the fourth inning. They scored two before getting struck out and managed to keep the Roadrunners from scoring. The Grizzlies brought the score to within two in the fifth inning, but the Roadrunners answered with five runs in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore right fielder Chelsea Brew and sophomore left fielder Mary Towner each hit a home run, while three more Roadrunners each got a run. The score was 11-4 at the bottom of the fifth. “As a pitcher, a big lead really helps because it makes me more relaxed when I go out there on the mound,” Maul said. “I think we just came through with big hits today.” Metro closed the game out with a great sixth inning, with two runs by sophomore pitcher Morgan McWilliams and sophomore shortstop Tayler Else. “We’re just going to build off that and have a great season,” Maul said. Junior center fielder Dani Sandel and sophomore right fielder Chelsea Brew led the team with three runs each.
Softball Wrap-up Nick Ohlig nohlig@msudenver.edu Metro softball split a doubleheader Feb. 2 at Auraria Field, beating Regis University 3-2 and losing to University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. Metro then went on to beat Regis again 6-3 on Feb. 3. In the 3-2 win over Regis, Metro pitcher/first baseman Aubree Maul threw a complete game, while only allowing one earned run. Regis took a 1-0 lead after the first inning due to a fielding error by Metro. In the second inning, sophomore left fielder Mary Towner hit a double to tie the game at 1-1. In the third inning, sophomore third basemen Amanda Taney stole home plate to give the Roadrunners a 2-1 lead. Later, Maul doubled and sophomore shortstop Susie Oury scored. In the fifth, Regis scored on a double to get within one run, but they couldn’t get any closer. In the second game, the Mountain Lions took an early 1-0 lead in the second, then in the third, loaded the bases again, but could only muster two runs. In the fourth inning, the Mountain Lions took a 5-0 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Metro would get on the board with a two-run home run by Maul. Metro would get back-to-back home runs from junior first baseman Stephanie Dunham and Amanda Tanney in the fifth inning. The Roadrunners tied the game up at five in the sixth inning, but couldn’t pull out the win. Metro defeated Regis for the second time in 24 hours. Sandel scored the last run and the Runners won 6-3. The Roadrunners start the season 3-2.