Coming into the final regular season series, the Metro men’s baseball team had to sweep the remaining two games to clinch the fifth seed for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament.
Metro split the “Senior Day” doubleheader May 5 against New Mexico Highlands at Auraria Field.
In game one, Metro senior starting pitcher Justin Arceneaux started the game with three shutout innings until the fourth, when he allowed an RBI double. In the fifth, Highlands added two more runs, bringing Metro down 3-0. In the sixth, Highlands added another run, making it 4-0.
In the bottom of the seventh, Metro’s bats finally warmed up. Metro second baseman Zac Baldini hit a single to put the Roadrunners on the board. The next batter, Metro senior catcher Markie Ortivez, doubled two RBIs putting the Runners down 4-3.
In the eighth, Metro sophomore first baseman/catcher Darryl Baca smoked a triple, tying the game at four. In the bottom of the ninth, after Baldini doubled down the right field line, he was replaced by sophomore second baseman/outfielder Chris Spirek.
After Ortivez flied out to right field, senior shortstop Erik Cammall was hit by the pitch, then stole second. Metro sophomore right fielder Jeff Levett hit a line drive to the Highlands’ shortstop, who bobbled the ball. Spirek scored, earning Metro their 20th victory of the season.
“It was awesome, it was a great team battle, the pitchers filled up the zone really well,” Levett said. “It was just a good team win all together.”
In game two, Metro got off to an early lead in the first inning when Levett hit his fifth home run of the season putting the Runners up 1-0. After the Cowboys responded in the top of the second, Metro put up a three spot in the bottom of the second. Ortivez hit his 10th RBI of the season to give Metro a 2-1 lead.
Later in the inning, Cammall scored Ortivez, after which the Runners were up 3-1. Levett then singled down the right field line to score sophomore center fielder Mitch Gibbons.
In the top of the forth, the Cowboys started to figure out Metro senior pitcher/outfielder Forest Carpenter. The Cowboys scored two in the inning, tying the game at four. In the sixth, Highlands took the lead 5-4.
In the bottom of the sixth, Metro had Baca at third base when Ortivez hit into a fielder’s choice. Baca ran home but was thrown out. In the seventh and final inning, Levett was at second base with two outs when Schrupp hit a long single. Levett then went from second to home, but was denied at home plate. Metro fell to 5-4 in the final game at Auraria field for the 2013 season.
“That’s it, their guy made a great play. Jeff was just bang-bang at the plate,” head coach Jerrid Oates said. “The pressure was on them, we just had to run 180 feet. They had to make a perfect throw.”
Metro is now the fifth seed in the RMAC tournament. They will play Colorado State University-Pueblo Wednesday in Grand Junction.
