Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Colorado School of Mines salvaged a doubleheader split at MSU Denver on Sunday, bouncing back from an 11-3 (5 inn.) loss in the opener to erupt at the plate in a 12-7 game two win.

Freshman catcher Kara Jones went 5-for-7 with five RBI combined, and leftfield Dani Valerio was 4-for-6 with two RBI and four runs scored to lead Mines at the plate.

In the opener, Metro (9-9, 6-2 RMAC) used a five-run fourth to break open a tie game, and walked off with three more in the fifth inning. The Roadrunners were spotted three runs in the first, but Mines responded in the third when Paige Noehring singled in Pua Fujinaga and Jones doubled in Valerio and Noehring to tie the game.

MSU Denver put together their big fourth with a four-hit inning that included Sarena Espinzoa's two-run single. They won it in the fifth when Cassidy Smith scored unearned on a double steal and Hayley Fields doubled in two runs later in the inning.

Game two developed into a slugfest as Mines rallied back from an early deficit to win 12-7. The Roadrunners scored a run in each of the first two innings, but the Orediggers responded with Toot's two-run double, Jones' RBI groundout, and Loren Dempsey's one-run single in the third to lead 4-2. Fields' triple in the bottom half cut the lead to 4-3, but Mines tacked on more in the fifth thanks to back-to-back doubles by Toot and Jones and Katie Leiker's ground-out to plate Jones.

MSU Denver responded by manufacturing three runs in the bottom of the fifth, but Mines' bats stayed hot as Valerio doubled in two runs and Jones added her third RBI of the game in the sixth, and Noehring doubled in two runs in the seventh to set the lead at 12-7.

NOTABLES
- Mines is now 4-9 overall and 4-4 in RMAC play.
- Jones more than doubled her season RBI total with her best day of the season so far at the plate. She thumped a double in each game.
- Mines combined for 24 hits across the two games.
- Maddie Rogers took the loss in the opener, but only 5 of MSU Denver's 11 runs were earned as the Orediggers surrendered three errors in the game. Hayley Fields was the game one winner for Metro, allowing three earned on 10 hits.
- Hallie Smith was the winner in game two, allowing only two earned runs and striking out four to improve to 4-3. Cassidy Smith took the loss as Metro combined three pitchers to allow 10 earned on 14 hits.
- Valerio, Jones, Leiker, and Kara Walling each had two-hit games in the opener; in the nightcap, Jones smacked three hits while Noehring, Valerio, Toot, and Fujinaga had a pair. Noehring and Valerio also added two RBI apiece.

NEXT UP
Mines will make its home debut next weekend, hosting an RMAC pod with Adams State and Black Hills State Saturday and Sunday.