GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. – JR McDermott struck out a RMAC record 19 batters to lead Colorado Mesa University to a 3-2 win over MSU Denver Friday (March 11).

The previous RMAC record of 17 strikeouts in a game by a single pitcher was set by Ryan Sheldon of Neb.-Kearney in 2009. Mesa broke the record of most strikeouts by a team, 18, set by CSU-Pueblo against Neb.-Kearney in 2009. The CMU school record of 15 was set by Nolan Snell against CSU-Pueblo in 2012.

Jake Thurston put Metro on the board after leading off the third inning with a homerun down the left field line.

The Roadrunners added an unearned run in the next inning. Hunter Donaldson led off the inning with a double to left field. Trent Maloney hit a single to right field that would score Donaldson after a high throw home.

Lane LaCrone led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple down the right field line. He would score on a balk on the next Mesa at-bat.

Trevor Elcock made up for his error in the fourth by leading off the fifth inning with a homerun to left center to tie the game 2-2.

Greg Reynolds led off the seventh inning with a single up the middle and he would later advance to second on a wild pitch. Kyle Serrano drove in Reynolds for the game-winning run with a double down the left line.

All five runs in the game were scored by the lead-off batter in the inning.

McDermott (2-0) earned the complete game win. In addition to his record 19 strikeouts, McDermott gave up three hits, walked three and allowed one earned run on 126 pitches. McDermott struck out Metro lead-off batter Jake Ekman four times and three other Roadrunners struck out three times.

Julian Garcia (2-3) took the loss for MSUD allowing three runs on five hits.

CMU (13-3, 5-0) and MSUD (6-9, 3-2) will continue the series with a double-header Saturday (March 12).