After dropping the first game 16-12, Colorado Christian responded with a 5-2 victory over MSU Denver in game two to close out their 2015 season and give their seniors a win in the group's final career game.
 
It was an emotional day for the Cougars who battled through a back and forth affair in the opener before sending off their six seniors in winning fashion in the season finale.
 
The game one slugfest was highlighted by Cougar offensive fireworks, most notably from the very players who were honored at the start of the day. Third baseman Mark McMahon opened the scoring by taking the first pitch he saw and depositing it over the left field wall for his first home run of the season and the second of his career.
 
An inning later, Dustin Conley connected on his fourth home run of the season-- a two-run shot to right that scored Taylor Dudley. Both Conley and Dudley had three hits in the first game, with Conley adding a third RBI in the fifth inning.
 
CCU expanded their lead to three runs in the later innings when Austin Atkerson's single scored Zach Scott, but the visiting Roadrunners took advantage of the Cougar bullpen, and took control in the eighth and ninth innings to score seven runs and claim the win.
 
Starter Garret Henrichsen, gunning for the win in his final appearance, pitched well over 4.2 innings but was knocked out in the fifth as Metro began to wear down the native of Westminster, Colo. Henrichsen exited to a tremendous applause and a home dugout which emptied to show their appreciation.
 
While the seniors provided memorable moments in the early contest, the day's final game showed that there were plenty of valuable contributors to the Cougars' future. Sophomore Danny Graves pitched his best game of the season, flashing his potential and skills after injury robbed him of a 2014 season.
 
In the complete game effort, the Arvada, Colo. native won his third game of the season, scattering eight hits and striking out five, and allowing just a single earned run.
 
The Cougars were boosted by two more home runs in the finale. Freshman Bryce Brenton doubled the hosts' lead in the second inning with his blast to left field, and Atkerson gave CCU a four-run advantage when he sent a ball over the right field wall in the fifth.
 
Left fielder Ryan Silva collected three more hits in the day's games, finishing 2015 with a .306 average and a .320 mark over his two outstanding years at CCU.
 
As Graves induced the game-ending double play, the home half of the field and dugout exuded excitement.
 
"I think that today was a day full of emotions because we as seniors wanted to go out with a win, and when we did, we were so happy but then realized that our careers had come to an end," commented Garret Henrichsen. "I'm proud of the team for dealing with all of the emotions of the day and ending the season with a win."

Despite the loss of the six seniors, this could be a much improved team come next season with a bevy of young players in the squad and a team coming off the most wins in a season since 2010.
 
Remarked Henrichsen, "This team is going to be very good in the future because of the foundation this year's team has laid."