COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After dropping the first game of the day against Black Hills State University, 7-5, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team bounced back in the second game of the day with a three-run rally in the top of the seventh inning of game two to earn a 7-4 victory and a series win.
Despite playing on their home turf, UCCS was designated as the visiting team due to the series being rescheduled from its original location in Spearfish. S.D.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 5, BHSU 7 | Game 2: UCCS 7, BHSU 4
Records: UCCS (8-6, 6-2 RMAC), BHSU (3-5, 3-5 RMAC)
Location: Mountain Lion Field | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: The loss in game one on Saturday snapped a 15-game winning streak over BHSU for the Mountain Lions, but they still hold a record of 30-16 all-time against the Yellow Jackets.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- Following a quick top half of the first inning in which the Mountain Lions managed just one baserunner, Yellow Jackets' starting pitcher Crystal Amaral helped herself out at the plate as she launched a two-run home run as part of a three-run bottom half of the first inning that gave BHSU an early 3-0 lead.
- The Mountain Lions responded in their half of the second inning as freshmen Paige White and Briana Mattos blasted a pair of solo home runs to cut the deficit to 3-2.
- After two Yellow Jacket doubles in the third inning extended the lead to 4-2, BHSU took advantage of a pair of errors by UCCS shortstop Solana Martinez to add two more runs in the fourth inning and push the lead to 6-2.
- Black Hills State would add another run to their cushion in the bottom half of the fifth inning when freshman Tyler Whitlock lined a single to center field to extend the Yellow Jackets' advantage to 7-2.
- A leadoff double by Martinez to start the sixth would spark a rally for the UCCS offense as Martinez came around to score on an RBI single from White to make it a 7-3 ballgame. With two outs in the inning, redshirt senior Courtnie Heller knocked her second home run in as many days out of the ballpark to get the Mountain Lions back within two runs at 7-5.
- The UCCS offense put together a two-out rally in the seventh inning as sophomore Mia Perez walked and Martinez singled to put a pair of runners on base for redshirt junior Sawyer Brewster, but BHSU center fielder Gianna Haley would record the third out of the inning and end the game as she made a spectacular catch on a deep drive to left center field by Brewster.
STATS FROM GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions tallied nine hits against BHSU pitching, with Martinez, White and Heller each recording two hits.
- White and Heller also led the UCCS offense with a pair of RBIs each after both hitting home runs for the second consecutive day.
- Perez continued her season-long aggressiveness on the basepaths, picking up her sixth stolen base of the season.
- It was a tough outing on the rubber for Crenshaw (3-3), who pitched 3.1 innings while allowing four earned runs on six hits and a walk to take the loss.
- Freshman Mackenzie Rutkoff entered the game in the fourth inning in relief of Crenshaw and tossed 2.2 innings, allowing one earned run and striking out four Yellow Jacket hitters.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- UCCS jumped out to a 2-0 lead in game two of Saturday's doubleheader after Mattos singled home Cassidy Hubner in the second inning and infielder Morgan Hernandez-Belew lined a solo home run to left field in the top half of the third.
- Mountain Lions starting pitcher Lexi Rayburn pitched through traffic much of the afternoon, working out of a bases loaded jam in the second inning to keep BHSU off the scoreboard. Rayburn would again load the bases in the third inning, this time surrendering a run-scoring single before ending the inning with a swinging strikeout to keep the UCCS lead at 2-1.
- The top of the fifth inning began with a dropped fly ball in right field by Lizzy Johnson that allowed Hernandez-Belew to reach first base safely. A double by Martinez followed by a single up the middle off the bat of Brewster would cash in an unearned run for UCCS and extend the Mountain Lion's lead to 3-1.
- Rayburn would run into more traffic on the basepaths in the top of the fifth inning, allowing the first two hitters to reach base with singles before Whitlock laced a two-out RBI single to left field to make it a one run ballgame. Back-to-back walks after Whitlock's single resulted in another run for Black Hills State that evened the game up at three apiece.
- An RBI single by Hernandez-Belew in the top of the sixth would put the Mountain Lions back ahead 4-3, but a single, a wild pitch, and an RBI double by the Yellow Jackets with no outs in the bottom half of the inning promptly tied the game back up at four.
- BHSU continued their rally in the inning with a single and a walk loading the bases for the fourth time in the game, but Rayburn managed to induce a fielders choice groundout and a called third strike to record the final two outs of the inning and keep the game tied.
- The middle of the Mountain Lions order came up in the clutch to start the seventh inning, as Martinez roped a leadoff double into the right center field gap and was brought around to score on a timely two-run home run to left field by Brewster. After loading the bases with two outs, UCCS was fortunate to add another run to their tally as Hernandez-Belew reached base safely on a passed ball that resulted in a dropped third strike to give the Mountain Lions a three-run cushion, 7-4, going to the bottom of the seventh.
- Rayburn would retire the Yellow Jackets in order in the seventh to earn her third win of the season and clinch the series win for UCCS over Black Hills State.
STATS FROM GAME TWO
- UCCS recorded their highest hit total since their season-opening game against Cal Poly Humboldt as they pounded out 15 hits in the game. Martinez was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate while Hubner registered three hits for the Mountain Lions.
- Brewster and Hernandez-Belew served as the run-producers for UCCS in game two as Brewster tallied three RBIs and Hernandez-Belew added two RBIs.
- Rayburn (3-1) hurled her third complete game of the season and did well to limit the damage as she allowed four earned runs while pitching around 17 baserunners (nine hits, six walks, two HBP) across her seven innings inside the circle. The junior pitcher struck out six batters on the way to her third win of the season.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Mattos' home run in the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday was her first of the season and her first collegiate round-tripper.
- After taking three of four games in each of their first two conference series, the Mountain Lions will enter the third week of the RMAC schedule at 6-2.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will be back at Mountain Lion Field for a four-game home series against Regis University on March 12-13.
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.
