SPEARFISH, S.D. – Stephanie Chitkowski struck out a season-high nine batters in game one and Whitney Weber scored five runs in the two games as the University of Colorado Colorado Springs split the first doubleheader with Black Hills State at Yellow Jackets Field. The Mountain Lions (16-27, 15-23 RMAC) won the first game 9-1 in six innings but the Yellow Jackets (6-36, 4-30 RMAC) used a walk-off home run in game two in a 6-5 decision.

Weber scored the first run of the day off an RBI single from Claire Nibbe in the first inning, and then scored again during a seven-run inning for the Mountain Lions in the second. The Mountain Lions earned all seven runs in the inning and hit seven straight singles during the rally. Lexi Belligan drove in two runs with a single to right field in addition to the one-RBI singles from five other Mountain Lions.

UCCS retired Black Hills State in order in the first two innings and committed an error in the third as the Yellow Jackets put their first runner on base. Black Hills State earned a walk in the fourth inning and scored its first run of the day on a sacrifice fly later in the inning, but didn't earn its first hit until the fifth inning. Rayle Glover scored Megan Duffy on a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth inning to provide an eight-run lead at 9-1, and after the Yellow Jackets earned a leadoff hit in the bottom of the inning, Chitkowski struck out the next three batters for the run-rule victory.

Weber went two-for-three in the first game while Nibbe and Makenna Smith both went two-for-four. Chitkowski surpassed her previous season-high of seven strikeouts, set in the opening game of the series last weekend against New Mexico Highlands.

UCCS manufactured two runs in the first inning in game two as Weber and Belligan scored, and the Mountain Lions added two more runs in the third as Weber and Nibbe crossed home plate for a 4-0 lead. Christina Patton held the Yellow Jackets to just one hit through the first three and two-third innings before Black Hills State put together a two-out rally and finished with a three-run home run to cut the lead to 4-3.

The Yellow Jackets took their first lead of the day on a two-out, two-RBI double in the fifth for a 5-4 lead, and both teams went down in order in the sixth as Black Hills maintained its one-run lead. Weber reached base on a single in the seventh, and then tied the game from first on a double to right field by Belligan. UCCS put runners on the corners with two outs but couldn't retake the lead after a groundout to third base.

The Mountain Lions recorded two outs in the bottom of the seventh after the first two batters, and were in position to force extra innings before Black Hills State hit a solo home run to left field in the 6-5 result. Weber matched her season-high with three hits and Chitkowski added four more strikeouts in relief.

UCCS and Black Hills State will close out the regular season with a doubleheader on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. The Mountain Lions remain in RMAC Tournament contention and will await results during the next two days to learn its postseason fate.