COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team won the opening game of Sunday's doubleheader against Colorado School of Mines but ultimately had to settle for a series split after dropping the second game of the day via run-rule. Despite playing on their home turf, UCCS was designated as the visiting team due to the series being rescheduled from its original location in Golden, Colo.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 8, CSM 7 | Game 2: UCCS 2, CSM 10
Records: UCCS (12-10, 10-6 RMAC), CSM (7-15, 7-7 RMAC)
Location: Mountain Lion Field | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- A pair of RBI singles in the first inning put the Orediggers ahead early, but the Mountain Lions took advantage of a solo home run off the bat of Peyton Reisman and a pair of Mines errors to even the game at 2-2 in the second inning.
- Mines scratched another run across in the bottom of the second inning to regain a 3-2 lead, but it would not last long as Sawyer Brewster opened the top of the third with a deep shot to center field before the Mountain Lions took their first lead of the game at 4-3 with an RBI double from Morgan Hernandez-Belew in the fourth inning.
- UCCS ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth inning as three of the first four Orediggers to bat in the inning reached base, plating a pair of runs to give Mines a 5-4 lead. A throwing error by shortstop Solana Martinez would lead to two more runs scoring in the inning, extending the Mountain Lion's deficit to 7-4.
- The Mountain Lions were quick to respond, however, as a two-run home run by Courtnie Heller and an RBI single from Hernandez-Belew in the top half of the fifth evened the game once again at seven apiece.
- After the Orediggers were held scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings, freshman Briana Mattos came up in the clutch with a go-ahead solo home run in the seventh inning to give the Mountain Lions an 8-7 advantage. Freshman Mackenzie Rutkoff, who came on in relief of starter Braelyne Crenshaw in the fifth inning, worked a clean bottom half of the inning to lock down the victory for UCCS in game one.
STATS FROM GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions recorded 12 hits in the first game of the day, led by Mattos and Bryn Horton who each had three-hit games.
- UCCS hit a season-high four home runs in the game as Brewster, Reisman, Heller and Mattos each connected for round-trippers.
- Hernandez-Belew and Heller paced the team with a pair of RBIs each, while Mattos came around for a team-leading three runs scored.
- Crenshaw tossed the first four innings in game one, allowing seven runs (five earned) on 11 hits with two strikeouts.
- Earning her third win of the season was Rutkoff, who retired nine of the ten batters she faced across three innings of scoreless action.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The Orediggers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as sophomore Kaylie Krueger homered to right center field off UCCS starting pitcher Lexi Rayburn.
- Brewster would do everything in her power to bring the Mountain Lions back into the game, hitting a solo home run in the second inning and an RBI double in the third to cut the deficit to just one run, but Mines added a run in the third inning and four in the fourth off a pair of home runs to take an 8-2 lead.
- Following a scoreless fifth inning, a bases-loaded double off the bat of Mines' catcher Grace Gonzales scored a pair of runs to push the score to 10-2 and end the game via run-rule.
STATS FROM GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions recorded nine hits and two walks against CSM starter Cassidy Chvatal but managed to scratch across just the two runs.
- Brewster had hits in each of her three trips to the plate and drove in both of the Mountain Lion's runs in the game.
- Rayburn (5-2) took the loss in game two, giving up eight earned runs across 3.2 innings inside the circle. Gabrielle Cronin threw the final 1.2 innings for UCCS and surrendered two earned runs while giving up six hits and one walk.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Mattos' home run in game one was the second of her collegiate career and her first go-ahead home run of her career with the Mountain Lions.
- With home runs in both games today, Brewster has now hit a home run in three consecutive games and leads the team with nine for the season.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will host Colorado Christian for the first two games of a home and away series with the Cougars beginning on Tuesday, March 22.
SOCIAL
Twitter – @GoMountainLions
Instagram – @gomountainlions
Facebook – GoMountainLions
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
