COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team put together a pair of strong offensive efforts to begin their four-game series against Adams State University with a pair of wins on Saturday afternoon at Mountain Lion Field.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 11, ASU 4 | Game 2: UCCS 10, ASU 2
Records: UCCS (14-12, 12-6 RMAC), ASU (8-21, 3-15 RMAC)
Location: Mountain Lion Field | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: UCCS improves their record to 65-56 all-time against Adams State and have now won five consecutive games against the Grizzlies dating back to last season.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- The Grizzlies struck first in game one of Saturday's doubleheader with a first inning two-run home run off the bat of Breck Smith giving Adams State a 2-0 lead.
- UCCS would respond quickly in their half of the first inning, tying the game at two with a two-RBI double by freshman Paige White. Redshirt junior Peyton Reisman followed suit with a two-RBI double that gave the Mountain Lions a 4-2 lead after one inning.
- An RBI infield single by ASU freshman Emma Wilder in the top of the second brought the Grizzlies within a run at 4-3 and loaded the bases with just one out in the inning, but UCCS pitcher Braelyne Crenshaw worked out of the jam to strand the bases loaded and protect the Mountain Lion's lead.
- After redshirt junior Bryn Horton extended the UCCS lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the third inning with a two-out RBI single up the middle, the Grizzlies continued to hang around in the game as they added another run in the top half of the fourth to keep their deficit at 5-4.
- The Mountain Lions would begin to pull away in their half of the fourth inning, as redshirt junior Sawyer Brewster clubbed a solo home run to center field to push the lead to two runs. The advantage would then be extended to 7-4 after sophomore Maddie Unrein started off the fifth with a double down the left field line and came around to score on an RBI groundout by redshirt sophomore Morgan Hernandez-Belew.
- Following a four-run sixth inning in which White and Reisman smacked back-to-back home runs, Crenshaw set the Grizzlies down in order in the seventh to finish off an 11-4 win.
STATS FROM GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions recorded a total of 11 hits in the first game of the series, with Brewster, White and Reisman each having two-hit games.
- Brewster, White and Reisman also combined to drive in eight of the team's 11 runs, led by White with four RBIs in the contest.
- Each of the nine Mountain Lion starters reached base in the game either via base hit or walk.
- Crenshaw (4-7) went the distance to earn her fourth win of the season, surrendering four earned runs across her seven innings pitched with five strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- For a second consecutive game, Adams State jumped ahead to an early lead with a run scoring double in the top of the first giving the Grizzlies a 1-0 advantage.
- The Grizzlies' lead would not last long, as RBI singles from Brewster and Reisman in the bottom half of the first put UCCS on top 2-1.
- UCCS would add another run in the bottom of the second inning after Horton reached base and advanced to third base on a throwing error and was brought home on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Mia Perez.
- Adams State promptly got one run back in the top of the third inning with a leadoff single followed by an RBI triple cutting the Mountain Lion's lead to 3-2.
- A two out throwing error by ASU shortstop Jade Garbiso would lead to another UCCS run in the bottom of the third inning as Brewster came around to score on the mishap to push the score to 4-2.
- The Mountain Lions broke the game wide open in the bottom of the fourth inning as they strung together five straight hits to put four more runs on the board and take an 8-2 lead.
- An RBI double by Brewster in the bottom of the sixth inning pushed the UCCS lead to seven runs before Paige White put the finishing touches on the game with an RBI single to clinch the 10-2 run-rule victory.
STATS FROM GAME TWO
- Brewster and Solana Martinez were at the forefront of the Mountain Lions 13 hit effort as they each went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate.
- Brewster also paced the team with three RBIs, while Martinez and White each drove in two runs.
- The Mountain Lions struck out a season-low two times in game two of the twin bill.
- Junior Lexi Rayburn (6-3) was excellent in the circle for UCCS as she earned the win after tossing her career-high seventh complete game of the season. Rayburn scattered six hits and four walks across her six innings pitched while allowing just two earned runs.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The Mountain Lions recorded their fourth and fifth games of the season scoring double digit runs.
- The four-hit games for Brewster and Martinez in game two mark the second time this season each player has recorded that many hits in a single game.
- With hits in both games today, Reisman extends her hitting streak to nine straight games.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will look to complete the four-game sweep tomorrow as they finish their series against the Grizzlies with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. from Mountain Lion Field.
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.
