Alamosa, Colorado—In game one of a four-game series against Metropolitan State, the University of Denver, Adams State lost by a score of 17-4. The defeat brings the Grizzlies' record to 11-20 (7-6 RMAC).
The Roadrunners came out swinging early in Friday's game against the Grizzlies, jumping to a quick 4-0 lead after the first inning. Their offense surged with back-to-back home runs in the first inning: the first by Ortiz, followed quickly by a home run from Velders. The Roadrunners added another run in the first and two more in the third, taking a 6-0 lead before starter
Cesar Loma exited the game after the third inning. Loma's line was 3 innings pitched, 5 hits allowed, 6 runs, 4 walks, and 4 strikeouts. He also collected the loss, bringing his record to 1-7 for the year.
The Grizzlies struggled offensively until the bottom of the third inning when freshman
Josiah Hall kept his hot streak alive, hitting his 8th home run of the season and making the score 6-2. Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, the Roadrunners immediately answered in the top half of the fourth with another 5 runs, extending the score to 11-2. In the fourth inning, the Roadrunners collected two doubles and a home run, highlighted by Velders, giving him two on the day.
Hall sparked the Grizzlies with another 2-run home run in the fifth inning, but each time the Grizzlies scored, the Roadrunners quickly responded. Metro scored another 6 runs between the fifth and seventh innings, finalizing the score at 17-4, putting the game out of reach for the Grizzlies.
The evening's narrative centered around the Grizzlies' inability to deliver clutch hits. The Adams offense left 9 runners on base throughout the game, including 4 in the first two innings. The Grizzlies recorded 10 hits and 14 baserunners; however, they struggled to convert those opportunities into runs. Conversely, Metro capitalized on nearly every opportunity, leaving only 5 runners on base and consistently delivering clutch hits. Despite the team's struggles, two Adams players stood out: Hall and
Seth Reker, each contributing three hits. Hall finished 3 for 4 with 2 home runs, 4 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. Reker also ended 3 for 4 with a double and 2 runs.
The excellent performances by Hall and Reker, including extra-base hits, have become a regular occurrence; Reker's double places him tied for fourth in the RMAC with 11 doubles, while Hall's two home runs tie him for fourth in the RMAC for home runs. Both will aim to maintain their strong hitting as the Grizzlies look to rebound on Saturday, preparing for two more games against Metro.
The Grizzlies hope to repeat their success from earlier this season by bouncing back on Saturday in their quest to win the series, hosting Metro again in Alamosa for a Saturday doubleheader starting at noon MST. Both games will be seven-inning contests, with game two immediately following game one.
