DENVER, CO – Daniel Quintanilla hit a two-run home run and drove in three runs and Parker McRae and Ian Fisher combined to allow a single ninth-inning run as the University of Mary defeated Colorado Christian University 3-1 for the Marauders first win of the season. The win over CCU gives first year UMary head coach Mark Moriarty his first win as a collegiate head coach.
 
The Marauders opened their 2019 schedule earlier in the day with a 13-8 loss to Metropolitan State University – Denver. The Roadrunners served as the Marauders host in both games. The Marauders will again play both the Roadrunners and the Cougars on Friday, March 1, beginning at noon Central time.
 
GAME 1 Metro State University – Denver 13 University of Mary 8
Playing outside for the first time this season, the University of Mary exploded for eight runs in the fourth inning against Metro State University – Denver. Despite the big inning, the Marauders couldn't overcome an early 11-run deficit to the Roadrunners.
 
The Roadrunners (5-4 overall) struck early and often, scoring four times in the first, five times in the second and twice in the third inning.
 
The Marauders (0-1 overall) found their footing in the fourth. After Jaxon Ford reached on an error to start the inning, Chris Scott singled to right to place runners on the corners. Darius Barlas followed with a run-scoring single to right to drive in the Marauders first run of the season, followed by a Jesus Payan run-scoring single. After a strikeout, Daulton Sauce delivered the Marauders first extra-base hit, a run-scoring double to center. A balk on the MSUD pitcher sent Payan home and the Marauders trailed 11-4.
 
A walk, a strikeout and a two-out Connor Doll single scored another run before a walk to Ford loaded the bases. Scott once again delivered, this time a 2-run single to left. Barlas tacked on the inning's 8^th and final run with a knock to right. Looking to keep the inning going, Payan hit a deep drive to center where Loogan Soole caught the final out as he backed hard into the outfield fence and was knocked to the ground for a minute before regaining his composure and ability to play.
 
Making his Marauders debut, junior righthander Zac Martin held the Roadrunners in check to keep UMary in the game. After allowing two runs – one earned – in his first full inning of relief in the third, Martin held MSUD scoreless the next four innings as the Marauders closed within three. He finished the game with 5.2 innings pitched, allowing one earned run and five hits with no walks and three strikeouts.  
 
Just as Martin was shutting down the Roadrunners, the Marauders offense was also stifled. UMary was limited to three baserunners in the final four innings; a Travis Stevens single and a walk in the fifth and a seventh-inning single by Payan.
 
Scott and Barlas both had two hits, two RBIs and a run scored for the Marauders. Payan had two hits, scored a run and drove in a run. Ford scored twice. Sauce and Doll both had a hit, a run and an RBI.
 
Zach Paschke led the Roadrunners with three hits and three runs scored with an RBI. Matt Malkin had three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored while Jake Kistaitis posted three hits, three RBIs and a run scored.
 
GAME 2 UMary 3 Colorado Christian University 1
Marauders pitchers Parker McRae and Ian Fisher strung together eight straight scoreless innings before allowing a meaningless ninth-inning run in a 3-1 UMary victory over Colorado Christian. The victory is the first of the season for the Marauders (1-1 overall) and also the first collegiate head coaching win for new UMary head coach Mark Moriarty.
 
A transfer from Miles Community College where he was an All-Region selection, McRae held Colorado Christian in check for the opening six innings of the game. In his Marauders debut the native of Nipawin, Saskatchewan, allowed just five hits while striking out four. He also hit three batters.
 
After retiring the Cougars (3-8 overall) in order in the first, McRae escaped from runners on 2^nd-and-3^rd and one out and then a two-out bases loaded situation in the second without allowing any damage. He again left the bases full of Cougars in the fourth inning. McRae retired the Cougars in order in the fifth before surviving an interesting sixth inning. With runners on first and second and one out, Cougars hitter Terry Orr singled to left field, only to see teammates thrown out at both third base and second to end the inning.   
 
The Marauders also had opportunities to score, leaving a pair of runners on base in each of the first two innings before stranding another runner on base in the third.
 
UMary struck quickly in the seventh. After Braeton Wixo was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, Quintanilla drove a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for the first Marauders lead of the season at 2-0.
 
Quintanilla, an All-American last season at Cedar Valley Community College, tacked on another run for the Marauders in the ninth. Stevens was hit by a pitch leading off the final inning. Pinch runner Seth Siverson moved to second on a balk and scored on a double to left center on a one-strike pitch to Quintanilla. In addition to a single and double, Quintanilla also walked in his Marauders debut.
 
Charged with protecting the Marauders lead, Fisher entered the game in the bottom of the seventh inning and locked the game down. After walking the first hitter he faced who was then sacrificed to second base, the sidewinding UMary senior induced a popup and a ground out to end the inning, both defensive plays made by Barlas at third base.
 
In the eighth, Fisher allowed a harmless two-out single before closing out the Cougars with a swinging strikeout.
 
The Cougars finally punched home a run in the ninth but couldn't continue the rally as Fisher closed out the inning with a ground ball to Wixo at short to force a runner at second, leaving two runners aboard.
 
Fisher earned the save after allowing just one run on three hits and two walks in three innings.
 
Chris Scott added two more hits in the second game, including a double. Barlas and Thedinger also had hits for the Marauders.
 
Matthew Kimura and Scotty Ingle both had two hits for the Cougars. Connor McCullum allowed two runs on five hits, four walks and a hit batter while striking out eight in seven innings.
 
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