Fresh off a four-game sweep of Mesa State, the Metro State baseball team on Tuesday entered the national NCAA Division II poll for the first time since 2000, when the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper rankings put the Roadrunners at No. 20.
“It is a testament to the hard work these guys have put in,” coach Bobby Pierce said. “We have had a different guy step up each game, and it has been a complete team effort.”
Metro State’s four victories came at the expense of then-No. 18 Mesa State, which dropped out of this week’s poll. Metro State (20-4, 12-0 RMAC) trails just No. 4 Sonoma (Calif.) State and No. 11 Cal State Stanislaus in the West region rankings.
Pomona graduate leads Huskers.
Pomona High School graduate Nick Sullivan had two hits, including a two-run homer in the second inning that broke a 1-1 tie, to help lead No. 22-ranked Nebraska (15-2) to a 6-1 victory over Arkansas, the Cornhuskers’ 14th consecutive win.
Eagles, Rage players honored.
The Central Hockey League named Colorado Eagles defenseman Aaron Schneekloth and Rocky Mountain Rage forward Brent Cullaton to its six-member all-CHL team in a vote by the league’s 17 coaches.
Cullaton, a finalist for the league’s MVP award, ranks fourth in scoring with 92 points (21 goals, 71 assists). Schneekloth ranks in the top 10 among defenders in six categories, including points and assists.
DU golfers finish 10th.
University of Denver junior Jeff Koprivetz shot a 2-under-par 70 to move up six spots and finish in a tie for 23rd at the Barona Collegiate Cup at Barona Creek Golf Course in San Diego.
Texas A&M’s Nacho Elvira claimed medalist honors with a 12-under 204 and helped the Aggies to the team title. A&M’s 37-under 827 total was 20 shots better than runner-up San Diego State. The Pioneers finished 10th at 886.
Brazilian beats Fort Carson boxer.
Light heavyweight Christopher Downs of Fort Carson will have to go to Guatemala to qualify for the Beijing Olympics after losing to Washington Silva of Brazil at the Americas qualifier in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Downs would have qualified for the Olympics with a win but had trouble getting through Silva’s defense and lost 10-3. The second and final Americas qualifier is April 23-30 in Guatemala City.
Hnida kicking again.
A Colorado semipro football team says place-kicker Katie Hnida, the first woman to score in a Division I-A college football game, is in the running for a roster spot.
Hnida was the kicker at Chatfield High School and walked on at the University of Colorado, but left Boulder after she said she was raped by a teammate. She enrolled at New Mexico in 2002 and made history by kicking two extra points in 2003.
Lou Florez, owner and coach of the newly formed Colorado Cobras of the Colorado Conference, said the 26-year-old Hnida is among about 90 players trying out for the team. Florez says he expects she will be one of two kickers on the roster.
