ST. GEORGE, Utah – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team dropped two games to Dixie State University Saturday afternoon, 6-5 (eight innings) and 6-0 at Karl Brooks Field in St. George, Utah.
UCCS moves to 12-13 on the season and 8-5 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. DSU improves to 16-5 overall and 10-4 in league games.
Game 1 | Dixie State 6, UCCS 5 (8 innings)
Taylor Reidhead and the Mountain Lions defense either struck out or put out nine of the first 10 batters in the first three innings.
UCCS' scoring drive started in the third inning.
Alex Cook drove in the first two runs of the game with a double down the left field line that plated
Amanda Nobles and
Melissa Martinek. Reidhead capped off the inning with a single to left center that brought home Cook.
The Mountain Lions lead extended to five runs, 5-0, after one run was plated in each the fourth and fifth innings.
Leigh Lancaster batted in pinch runner
Sierra Batchelor in the fourth inning. Batchelor took over base running duties for
Lexi Andersen who started the inning with a double to left field.
In the fifth inning with two outs and the bases loaded, Andersen drew a walk that forced Martinek to score, boosting the Mountain Lions lead to 5-0.
The Trailblazers started their comeback in the sixth inning after plating three runs on two hits. UCCS was held to three-up, three down in the seventh inning as they were holding on to a 5-3 lead heading into the bottom half of the inning.
DSU took advantage of bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh when Brenna Cornwall drove in two runs off a single to knot the game at 5-5 and send it to extra innings.
In the eighth inning, Andersen drew her second walk of the game before
Leigh Lancaster advanced her to third base after hitting a double to left center. With two runners in scoring position and two outs, the Trailblazer struck out UCCS to close the top half of the inning. DSU's Kaitlyn Delange sealed the win for the home team with a walk off single up the middle.
The Mountain Lions finished with seven hits against the Trailblazers. Martinek and Cook combined for four hits, two RBI and three runs scored.
Reidhead pitched the first six innings for a no-decision, surrendering four runs on four hits and fanning five batters.
Cami Duffey worked the final one and one-third inning in the circle, allowing two runs on four hits.
Game 2 | Dixie State 6, UCCS 0
In game two, the Mountain Lions were held scoreless in a 6-0 loss. Cook,
Payton Romines and
Taylor White each collected a hit to lead UCCS' offense. Behind the Trailblazers defense and pitcher Carissa Burgess, UCCS went down one-two-three in five of the seven innings.
Braelyne Crenshaw suffered the loss after pitching a complete game, allowing five earned runs on seven hits while sitting down three batters.
Both teams will be back in action on Sunday. First pitch of the doubleheader will start at 11 a.m.
