DENVER – MSU Denver had a disappointing Senior Day on Sunday, dropping a doubleheader to Colorado School of Mines 18-6 and 7-6.
 
The second game, scheduled for seven innings, went nine innings before Mines emerged with the victory.
 
"We just didn't play very well today," MSU Denver coach Ryan Strain said. "It's really disappointing with all we had on the line, and on Senior Day, that we didn't play better than that. We gave up a lot of runs, a lot of hits, and we had chances to score more runs. It was tough to watch."
 
In the muddled middle of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings, MSU Denver (27-21 overall) dropped from second to fourth at 18-12 in league play. Mines (23-17) jumped from fourth to third at 16-10.
 
In the nine-inning opening game, MSU Denver trailed 5-4 after the first inning, but cut a 10-4 deficit to 10-6 on back-to-back homers by Zach Schuler and Jake Williams in the fifth. But Mines scored six in the sixth and kept the Roadrunners at bay while adding on late.
 
In the nightcap, MSU Denver led 5-2 after four innings, but Mines got two in the fifth and two in the sixth to take the lead.
 
"We let them hang around in the second game," Strain said. "We had a chance to put them away, but we didn't. We couldn't keep the momentum, and that's been an issue for us all year."
 
Gavin Schmeh's homer in the bottom of the sixth tied it 6-6, and despite excellent relief work from Zane Covey, the Roadrunners were unable to break through.
 
"Covey gave us a chance to win," Strain said.
 
Caleb Albaugh lined a potential game-winner to right field with two outs in the eighth, but the ball stayed up long enough for the right fielder to make the catch.
 
"If that ball gets down, we win the game," Strain said. "But it didn't."

Schmeh stayed hot, going 3-for-4 in each game, including a two-homer, four-RBI effort in the second game. His homer in the third cut the Roadrunners' 2-0 deficit in half, then his two-run single in the fourth put MSU Denver ahead in the fourth before his game-tying solo homer in the sixth.
 
Schmeh has started the past five games and is batting .765 (13-for-17) with five homers and 15 RBIs.
 
"He's doing a nice job," Strain said. "If you keep working every day, hoping you get your chance, and if you take advantage of your opportunity, you stay in there. He's done a nice job."