Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney softball team fell to Metro State, 9-3, and 19th-ranked Colorado Mesa, 22-4 (5 innings), Saturday afternoon in Denver.
 
These were the first games of the 2017 season for all three teams. In the preseason RMAC (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conf.) poll, CMU was picked first and Metro second. Last year, they combined to win 75 games.
 
Things did start well for UNK as they scored three runs in its first inning of the season. Taking advantage of an infield error, the Lopers took a 3-0 lead over Metro on a two-run single from Omaha junior first baseman Emilee Jonas (1 for 3).
 
Colorado junior Meg Housholder (0-1) blanked the Roadrunners over the first three innings, getting out of a bases loaded jam in the third thanks to a come backer.
 
However, Metro struck for three in the fourth, two more in the fifth and four in the sixth. The sixth through eighth hitters in the 'Runner lineup combined to go 7 for 11 five runs and eight RBI's. On the mound, true freshman Darby McGhee threw a complete game six-hitter, fanning six and walking just two, in her collegiate debut.
 
For UNK, Lincoln junior right fielder Kaela Samek went 2 for 4 with Arizona freshman center fielder Nicole Spykstra having two assists and three putouts.
 
In the night cap, Mesa's eight and nine hitters combined to go 4 for 6 with three runs and eight RBI's. The Mavericks scored seven in the first and 10 more in the third. They finished with 17 hits, including six doubles.
 
Sophomore McKenzie Surface no-hit UNK for three innings to earn the win. She struck out eight, walked three and hit one.
 
Spykstra (2 for 3, one run) and Papillion sophomore catcher Bailee Jensen (1 for 3) both knocked in two runs with Papillion true freshman Sara Sempek allowing one earned run in her first 2.1 innings of collegiate ball.
 
UNK faces Metro and Mesa again on Sunday.