LAS VEGAS, Nev. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs junior Dani Fonseca went three-of-four in the first game and went the full seven innings in the second game as the Mountain Lions (2-0) won both season-opening games at the Desert Stinger Classic in Las Vegas. UCCS defeated Simon Fraser 11-7 in the first game and finished the day with an 8-7 victory against Mary.

In the first game of the day against Simon Fraser, the Mountain Lions scored the first 10 runs of the game with two in the first inning and eight in the third. Fonseca scored twice in the third inning, the first off a double from Kylie Barnard and the second on a two-run home run to score Emily Jennings. UCCS recorded half of its 14 hits in the third inning.

The Clan scored six runs in the top of the fourth inning and recorded two home runs in the frame. Simon Fraser put its first two batters on base in the fifth inning, but a strikeout and pair of groundouts from the UCCS defense kept the game at 10-6 for the Mountain Lions.

Nikki Hoffman recorded a double in the sixth inning and scored on a single to right field from Tressa Radach to put UCCS ahead 11-6. Simon Fraser recorded back-to-back singles to open the seventh inning and scored the leadoff batter on another single down the left field line, but couldn't add any more as the Mountain Lions claimed the 11-7 win to open the season.

UCCS matched Mary's two-run output in the first inning of the second game and took advantage of four walks in the second inning to add three runs for a 5-2 lead. The Marauders scored once in the fourth inning and capitalized on two Mountain Lion errors in the fifth inning to tie the game at 5-5. Jennings used a double to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning before Lexi Belligan recorded her first collegiate home run with two outs to put UCCS back ahead at 7-5. 

Both teams traded one run in the sixth inning to make it an 8-6 game for UCCS, and Mary scored one run with two outs in the top of the seventh before a flyout to center field ended the game in an 8-7 win for the Mountain Lions. Fonseca recorded six strikeouts in her first career pitching appearance for UCCS.

Whitney Weber went three-of-five with four runs and Kylie Barnard with three-of-five with a pair of RBIs between the two games today. Belligan, Jennings and Radach each led UCCS with three RBIs. Korey Kulpins earned the win in the first game in 3.2 innings of action.

UCCS will continue action in the Desert Stinger on Saturday against Lubbock Christian at 12:30 p.m., MST, and No. 10 California State-Monterey Bay at 5:30 p.m., MST. Lubbock was 4-0 before today's pair of night games, and Monterey Bay is 3-0 with an 11-0 win earlier today against Azusa Pacific.