DENVER, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team suffered a pair of walk-off defeats against conference foe Metropolitan State University Denver on Saturday evening at the MSUD Regency Athletic Complex.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game 1: UCCS 3, MSUD 4 | Game 2: UCCS 5, MSUD 7
Records: UCCS (18-16, 16-10 RMAC), MSUD (28-13, 16-8 RMAC)
Location: MSUD Regency Athletic Complex | Denver, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions fall to 20-33 all-time against MSU Denver.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions got off to a quick start in the first game of the series as Morgan Hernandez-Belew and Mia Perez each reached base via error before an infield single by Solana Martinez loaded the bases with nobody out. After the next two hitters were retired by MSU Denver starting pitcher Audrey Burt, Peyton Reisman came up in the clutch to clear the bases with a two-out double that gave UCCS a 3-0 first inning lead.
- MSU Denver would get one of those runs back in the home half of the first inning with an RBI double by Jaiden Geist. A hard-hit ball up the middle by Roadrunner flex player and pitcher Audrey Burt threatened to bring home another run, but UCCS shortstop Solana Martinez made a spectacular play to keep the ball in the infield before firing home to catch Geist attempting to score, keeping the Mountain Lion advantage at 3-1.
- After three innings of scoreless ball, the Roadrunners started a rally in the bottom half of the fifth as the first two batters singled to left field to begin the inning. Crenshaw battled back to get the next two hitters out with a fielder's choice and a strikeout, but another single up the middle by Burt would bring home a pair of runs and tie the game at three.
- With one out and the score still tied in the bottom of the seventh, MSU Denver center fielder Shelby Robb drove a double to the right center field gap, which set the table for Jaiden Geist to drive her home with a walk-off RBI single as the Roadrunners took game one 4-3.
STATS FROM GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions were outhit by MSU Denver 10-6 in the series opener with each team leaving six runners on base.
- Reisman drove in each of the team's three runs with her first inning double as she went 1-for-3 in the game.
- Freshman Brianna Jennings entered the game as a pinch runner and finished the day with two stolen bases to increase her team-leading season total to nine.
- Crenshaw (6-9) tossed her tenth complete game of the season but took the loss as she allowed four earned runs over 6.1 innings pitched with eight strikeouts.
- In the other dugout, freshman Audrey Burt pitched an exceptional game, giving up just the three unearned runs over seven complete innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- After Solana Martinez drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch, redshirt junior Sawyer Brewster hit a two-out drive to right center field that hit off the glove of the MSU Denver right fielder and fell to the ground to bring Martinez around to score and give UCCS an early 1-0 lead.
- Freshman Mackenzie Rutkoff was lights out on the rubber to begin the ballgame as she set the Roadrunners down in order in each of the first two innings. MSU Denver would finally get to Rutkoff for a run in the third inning when infielder Hannah DiFabio doubled down the left field line, tying the game at one.
- The Mountain Lions would jump back ahead of the Roadrunners in their half of the fourth inning after the first two UCCS hitters reached base for Reisman, who doubled to right center field to bring home both runners. UCCS added another run before the end of the inning on an RBI single by Mia Perez to take a 4-1 lead.
- The UCCS advantage would grow to 5-1 in the top half of the fifth inning after Brewster led off the inning with a double and came around to score on an RBI single by freshman Cassidy Hubner.
- With the Mountain Lions holding a 5-2 lead heading to the bottom half of the final frame, Rutkoff ran into her first real trouble of the game as the Roadrunners strung together five hits in the inning to score five times, capped by a walk-off two-run home run by Shelby Robb.
STATS FROM GAME TWO
- UCCS recorded ten hits in the second game of the series, led by freshman Paige White with three hits in the game.
- Reisman led the team for a second straight game with two RBIs, while Perez and Hubner each drove in one run.
- Despite pitching very well throughout much of the game, Rutkoff (4-2) took the loss after giving up seven earned runs in 6.2 innings pitched.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- With eight strikeouts in the first game of today's doubleheader, Crenshaw passed Stephanie Chitkowski for the fifth-most career strikeouts in program history with 254.
- White's three-hit game in the second game of the doubleheader was her third of the season.
- With five RBIs on the day, Reisman now leads the Mountain Lions with 31 runs driven in this season.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will close out their series with the Roadrunners tomorrow afternoon with a twin bill beginning at 12 p.m. from the MSUD Regency Athletic Complex.
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.
