Denver -- MSU Denver scored a season-high 20 runs in the 20-8 victory over the Colorado School of Mines in the game one of the four-game series.
 
The Roadrunners are now 10-13 overall, 2-3 in the RMAC, while the Orediggers are 10-16 overall and 5-4 in the RMAC. 
 
In an offensive game, the Roadrunners and the Orediggers were neck and neck until the bottom of the fourth inning when MSU Denver put up five runs to put them ahead 12-3. The Roadrunners then went on to score eight more runs through the remainder of the game to win in eight innings.  
 
"It's always good when you score 20 runs," head coach Ryan Strain said. "We had a lot of chances. We had some big hits in big situations and had big innings and the guys continued to hit as a team, which is good."
 
Drew Peters and Jesse Velders helped bring the Roadrunners to victory both on the offensive and defensive sides of the field. Velders hit a home run in the bottom of the fifth to extend the lead over the Orediggers, while Peters pitched four innings with one run allowed and added three strikeouts earning his first win on the season. 
 
"I think we're feeling good and swinging the bat pretty well," Velders said on the team's offensive outburst. "I think we faced some better pitching last week and we're seeing the ball pretty well out there." 
 
Nathan Gutierrez helped the Roadrunner's offense when he got a hit in the bottom of the eighth inning. This was Gutierrez's first game in over a year, with his last season being cut short due to injury. 
 
Also back in the lineup was senior pitcher Dylan Webber. Webber pitched a full inning for MSU Denver and allowed no runs while striking out a batter to end the eighth. This was Webber's first time on the mound since January after an early season injury. 
 
"We were worried that when he went down early in the season with his knee, that we would lose him for the whole season," Strain said on getting Webber back throwing. "Fortunately, he got the surgery and it wasn't as bad as they anticipated when they got in there."
 
MSU Denver will continue the series with Mines on Saturday for a doubleheader starting at noon at the Assembly Athletic Complex.