COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs sophomore pitcher Stephanie Chitkowski finished with a program-record strikeouts in game one and closed out game two as the Mountain Lions won 8-4 and 8-5 in the first day of the series with New Mexico Highlands. UCCS (5-8 / 3-5 RMAC) have won their last three home games with today's results.

Chitkowski recorded 15 strikeouts to break the record of 14 set by Amanda Ritchie twice in the 2006 season. She struck out three batters in the top of the fourth with a pair of walks, and faced only three batters in the first and second innings. Chitkowski added two more strikeouts in the seventh inning of game two to finish with 17 on the day.

It was a pitcher's duel through the first two-and-a-half innings before a leadoff home run by Tressa Radach in the bottom of the third. Emily Jennings led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a home run to start a four-run inning for the Mountain Lions and take a 6-0 lead.

The Cowgirls scored their only runs of the first game on a grand slam in the fifth inning, but back-to-back home runs from Jennings and Dani Fonseca put UCCS back ahead 8-4. Chitkowski gave up only two hits in the sixth and seventh innings in her first complete game of the season.

UCCS took a 6-0 lead after the first two innings of the second game with two runs from Whitney Weber. Both teams traded runs in the third inning to make it a 7-1 game and New Mexico Highlands cut into the Mountain Lion lead with solo home runs in the fourth and fifth to pull within three runs at 7-4. Jennings earned her third RBI of the game in the bottom of the fifth to push the lead back to 8-4, and the Cowgirls added another run in the top of seventh in the 8-5 decision.

UCCS and Highlands will close out the series on Monday in a doubleheader. First pitch at Mountain Lion Field is set for 1 p.m.