OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Playing in near-freezing temperatures on Saturday, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team earned a split in Oklahoma City, Okla. at the OCU/UCO Invite, held at Tom Heath Field.  UCCS tallied a 6-3 decision over Northwestern Oklahoma State University in the morning game, followed by a 4-3 setback to Southern Nazarene University.
 
UCCS started the weekend with six runs and eight hits against the Rangers.  The Mountain Lions posted two runs in the opening inning.  Amanda Nobles led off the inning striking out but reached first after on a passed ball.  After reaching second base on a wild pitch, Nobles scored after Rayle Glover tripled to center field.  Taylor Reidhead drew a walk and then advanced to second base on another wild pitch.  With two outs and Reidhead on second, Alex Cook hit a single to first base to score Reidhead and give UCCS a 2-0 lead after the first inning.
 
In the top of the third inning and UCCS leading NOSU, 2-0, the Rangers loaded the bases with two outs, but Cami Duffey threw the chair to get out of the inning and hold NOSU to no runs.
 
UCCS expanded their lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Nobles drew a walk to lead off the inning and quickly scored after Melissa Martinek hit a triple.  Reidhead accounted for the second out of the inning but hit a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Martinek.
 
Northwestern Oklahoma State cut into the lead in the top of the sixth inning after crossing home plate three times.
 
UCCS responded and plated two more runs in the sixth inning for a 6-3 lead.  Cook started the inning with a double to center field.  Two batters and two outs later, Leigh Lancaster hit a single to left field to score Cook.  Sawyer Brewster entered the game as a pinch hitter and reached base on a single, moving Lancaster to second base.  Martinek accounted for the final RBI of the game when she stepped to the plate to hit a double and score Lancaster.
 
The Mountain Lions defense sealed the win in the seventh inning.  Braelyne Crenshaw entered the game in the circle in the top of the inning and forced NOSA to hit two pop ups and a ground ball to finish the game.
 
Martinek, Cook and Lancaster each posted two hits.  Martinek added two RBI and scored a run as the Mountain Lions finished with four extra base hits.
 
Duffey earned the win in the circle, pitching the first six innings and fanning four batters.
 
Against Southern Nazarene University, UCCS fell in the seventh inning on a walk-off single.
 
Trailing 2-0 after five innings, Cook hit a three-run blast over the left field fence to score Reidhead and Glover and give UCCS a 3-2 lead.
 
In the bottom of the seventh inning with no outs and two runners in scoring position, Mahina Sauer hit a walk-off single to drive in the game-winning runs.
 
Cook's three-run home run led the Mountain Lions offense and she posted a team high two hits.
 
Reidhead pitched the first six innings without a decision. Crenshaw entered the game in relief to allow two runs on two hits.
 
UCCS (4-6) will head across the street on Sunday to Edmond, Okla. where they will face Central Oklahoma University at 10 a.m. (MT) and Oklahoma Christian University at 12 p.m. (MT).