DENVER, Colo – Black Hills State softball concluded their back-to-back doubleheaders against MSU Denver on Sunday afternoon, falling to the Roadrunners 8-1 and 13-0.
 
The Yellow Jackets (4-16, 4-16 RMAC) totaled seven hits on the afternoon and one run scored by Shayla Tuschen via an RBI from Ashlynn Pauwels.
 
Game One (L, 8-1)
Following a fly-out to right center field to start the first inning, a bunt and two doubles in a row put the Roadrunners on the scoreboard first, 2-0, with another single to left field resulting in an RBI and early 3-run lead for MSU Denver.
 
The Yellow Jackets came out on the next series and were able to score off a Pauwels line-drive double that sent Tuschen home from first base, shrinking the Roadrunner lead to two runs.
 
A line-drive homer at the top of the second, however, tallied another run for the Roadrunners. Despite two more hits for MSU Denver, a clutch foul-out catch from Bayleigh Hubbard and a Tuschen strikeout left two on base and kept the Roadrunners from tallying any more runs.
 
Bats went cold on both sides through innings three and four as each team combined for two total hits, but the Roadrunners turned the heat back up and secured four more runs in the fifth and sixth to lead 8-1.
 
Despite a Tyler Whitlock triple to right center field leading to BHSU filling up bases, a strikeout snuffed the Yellow Jacket momentum and gave the Roadrunners the seven-point win in game one.
 
Game Two (L, 13-0)
Solid play from both outfields kept the game quiet through the first two innings, only seeing two total hits. At the top of the third, the Roadrunners were able to capitalize on a pair of singles, a stolen base, and a double down the left foul line to score the first three runs of the game and take the lead at 3-0, with a 2 RBI homer down the left side increasing the lead to 5-0.
 
Following another explosive inning for MSU Denver, which saw eight runs and six hits at the top of the fifth, the Yellow Jackets were held to zero hits for the remainder of the matchup, giving MSU Denver the 13-0 victory and the series sweep.
 
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets are on the road for one more road series against Northern State on Wednesday, March 22 at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Next Saturday and Sunday, March 25 and 26, BHSU is slated to host back-to-back doubleheaders against Regis.