GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. –
Melissa Martinek hit her third home run of the season to put the University of Colorado Colorado Springs in a 2-0 lead in game one, but the Mountain Lions (3-18, 2-14 RMAC) struggled against Colorado Mesa in a pair of setbacks today in the final games of the series. The Mavericks (20-4, 13-2 RMAC) claimed a 10-2 decision in six innings in the first game and finished with an 8-0 game in five innings.
Nikki Hoffman took advantage of a throwing error in the second inning and later scored on a wild pitch to put UCCS ahead 1-0 early in game one. The Mountain Lions turned a double play in the bottom of the inning to keep Colorado Mesa off the scoreboard, and Martinek led off the third with a solo home run to left field to make it a 2-0 UCCS advantage.
The first three Mavericks reached base in the bottom half of the second inning as Colorado Mesa cut the Mountain Lion lead down to 2-1, and a three-run home run later in the same inning pushed the lead to 4-2 for Mesa. UCCS put runners on base in the fourth and fifth innings but couldn't score against the Mavericks as Colorado Mesa scored three in the fifth and sixth innings in the 10-2 run-rule decision.
Whitney Weber went two-for-three in the first game in her second straight multi-hit game and extended her hitting streak to eight games.
Martinek led off the second game with a double to right field and UCCS put runners on the corners after
Claire Nibbe's two-out hit through the left side. A fielder's choice ended the chance for the Mountain Lions to score runs, but the UCCS defense held Colorado Mesa scoreless in the first inning as the score remained tied 0-0 through the first. The Mavericks took the lead in the second inning on a three-run home run, and then added two more runs in the third for a 5-0 lead against UCCS.
Both teams retired the other in order on defense in the fourth inning. The Mountain Lions went down in order in the top of the fifth but Colorado Mesa scored three in the bottom of the fifth to end the series in the 8-0 run-rule result.
UCCS will return home for the start of a 12-game home stretch during the next three weekends. The Mountain Lions open with a four-game series against Colorado Christian (18-10, 8-4 RMAC). The series starts with a doubleheader on March 25 at noon at Mountain Lion Field.