COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs freshman
Kylie Barnard went five-of-six with three runs and a grand slam between the two games as the Mountain Lions (14-23) fell in both games to Division I Northern Colorado (13-20-1). Scores went 15-3 in five innings for the first game and 20-16 in six innings in the second game.
Makenna Smith went three-of-three in the first game with two runs and her second home run of the season in the first game, but Northern Colorado scored the first seven runs of the game in the first two innings. Smith scored the first run of the game for UCCS in the bottom of the second inning with a bases loaded walk, and then hit a home run to left-center field in the fourth inning on her second pitch of the at-bat. She drove in the third Mountain Lion run in the fifth inning to score
Jordyn Cusimano, but the Bears took the first game in a run-rule decision, 15-3.
Barnard hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning to put UCCS ahead of the Bears 5-2. Northern Colorado retook the lead with its own grand slam in the third inning for the 7-5 advantage before the Mountain Lions tied it at 7-7 in the bottom of third. Both teams scored four runs in the fourth inning, helped by Barnard's 2-RBI double down the left field line.
The Bears scored three more runs in the fifth inning for the 14-11 lead before
Dani Fonseca scored two runs on a single to left field to pull the Mountain Lions within a run at 14-13. Northern Colorado scored six runs in the sixth, and UCCS added another three runs in the bottom of the inning. The game was called after the completion of the sixth inning on mutual consent between the two teams and the umpire crew.
UCCS accumulated 20 hits in the second game, tied for third in program single-game records and the most since a 20-hit performance against Regis on Feb. 1, 2013. The 16 runs were the most in a single game this season and the most since 17 runs against Colorado State-Pueblo on April 11, 2014.
Fonseca,
Emily Jennings, MaKenna Smith and
Tressa Radach each finished the day with four hits each. Fonseca's four hits all game in the second game, while Barnard went four-of-four with six RBIs in the final game.
The Mountain Lions will close out the home season on Saturday and Sunday with games against Fort Lewis (13-26 / 11-17 RMAC) and Colorado Mines (10-31 / 8-19 RMAC). UCCS will play Mines at 10 a.m., and Fort Lewis at 2 p.m., on Saturday, and will switch the times for the games on Sunday.
