LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team opened Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) action on Saturday with a doubleheader against New Mexico Highlands University and came away with a pair of victories as they secured an 11-10 extra inning victory in game one and a 9-2 victory in game two.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Game One: UCCS 11, NMHU 10 | Final Game Two: UCCS 9, NMHU 2
Records: UCCS (5-6,2-0 RMAC), NMHU (4-6, 0-2 RMAC)
Location: NMHU Cowgirl Softball Field | Las Vegas, N.M.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions improve to 28-9 all-time against the Cowgirls and extend their current winning streak against NMHU to six games.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- A pair of first inning walks and a hit by pitch by NMHU starting pitcher Maya Milano put the Mountain Lions in a bases-loaded situation with just one out to begin the ballgame, but the Cowgirls would work out of the early jam as UCCS sophomore Lexi Wagner hit a hard line drive to shortstop that ended up resulting in an inning-ending double play.
- With the momentum in their favor after escaping the early trouble, the Cowgirls' offense took advantage of a shaky start inside the circle from UCCS pitcher Braelyne Crenshaw as they put up four first-inning runs on the back of three hits, two hit by pitches, and a walk in their first trip to the plate.
- After a scoreless inning from both sides in the second inning, the Mountain Lion bats woke up to begin the visitor half of the third frame as they batted around in the inning while stringing together seven hits and a walk to score five runs and claim their first lead of the day, 5-4.
- The UCCS lead would not last for long, however, as the first four Cowgirl hitters in the bottom half of the third inning each reached base to help NMHU regain a 6-5 advantage. The Cowgirls would add two more runs before the end of the inning to take an 8-5 lead to the start of the fourth frame.
- Once again, the Cowgirls' lead would be short-lived as the Mountain Lion offense put together a five-spot for the second straight inning to recapture a 10-8 lead. Paige White and Courtnie Heller started the UCCS rally with back-to-back singles to begin the inning and were both brought in to score on a double from catcher Cassidy Hubner. After a fly out from Maddie Unrein marked the second out of the inning, an RBI double by Kelsey Bell would bring the game even at eight runs apiece before outfielder Mia Perez lined a triple down the right field line to drive in two more runs and cap the UCCS rally.
- In the bottom half of the fourth inning, NMHU would cut their two run deficit in half as Milano led off the inning with a triple and came in to score two batters later on a ground ball to second base that made it a 10-9 ballgame.
- The Cowgirls managed to tie the game at ten runs apiece in the bottom of the fifth inning as the first four batters all reached base against Crenshaw, prompting UCCS head coach Ricki Rothbauer-Stubbs to make a pitching change to freshman Ella Ebert. Ebert would enter the game with the bases loaded, but the first-year pitcher clamped down to strikeout the next two hitters before inducing an inning ending ground ball to keep the score tied.
- The Mountain Lions would threaten to break the tie in the top of the sixth inning as they loaded the bases with nobody out to begin the inning, but a pair of popouts and a strikeout from the next three Mountain Lion hitters would keep the game even at ten.
- After both teams went down quickly in the seventh inning to push the game to extra innings, the Mountain Lions broke the tie in the top of the eighth inning as Bell knocked a one-out double and came around to score on an error at second base by NMHU to make it an 11-10 game. Ebert would continue her strong pitching into the bottom half of the inning as she pitched another scoreless inning to finish off the Mountain Lion's first conference win of the season.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- The Mountain Lions nabbed 13 hits in the series opener, led by a 3-for-4 showing with a double, two runs, and two RBIs from Hubner.
- Perez put together a 2-for-5 line from the leadoff spot in the lineup while notching a team-leading four RBIs.
- Unrein (2-for-5) and Bell (2-for-3) also tallied multi-hit games with one RBI each, while Bell recorded a pair of doubles.
- Crenshaw endured a tough outing on Saturday as she surrendered ten earned runs across four innings pitched with four strikeouts.
- Ebert (1-0) picked up her first collegiate win as she pitched the final four innings of the ballgame while allowing just three hits and striking out two batters.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- Following a scoreless first inning from both teams, UCCS cracked the scoreboard first in the top of the second inning as back-to-back one-out singles from Unrein and Molly Sherwood set up the Mountain Lions with a first and third situation that was cashed in by Bell with a run-scoring sacrifice fly.
- Still holding a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning, UCCS pitcher Lexi Rayburn faced her first adversity of the game as she found herself with runners on second and third base with just one out in the inning. The senior from Bennett, Colo., would go on to strikeout the final two hitters of the inning to keep the Cowgirls scoreless through three innings.
- The UCCS offense began to build more of a cushion for Rayburn in the top half of the fourth inning as Wagner opened the frame with a double and was moved to third base on an infield single before ultimately scoring on a sacrifice fly from Sherwood. Three batters later, Perez would line a double into left field to bring home two more runs and give the Mountain Lions a 4-0 lead.
- After NMHU's Arianna Ramirez broke Rayburn's scoreless streak with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning, UCCS promptly regained their four-run advantage as Heller opened the top of the fifth with a ground-rule double and came around to score on an RBI single by Unrein.
- The Mountain Lions continued their offensive surge in the top of the sixth inning with back-to-back doubles from White and Brianna Jennings resulting in another run that made it a 6-1 lead for UCCS. After a pitching change by NMHU, Wagner followed with a two-run home run over the left field fence that pushed the UCCS lead to seven runs, 8-1.
- UCCS would add another run in the top of the seventh on an RBI double from Perez, and despite allowing an unearned run in the bottom of the inning, Rayburn managed to finish off her first complete game of the season and secure the doubleheader sweep.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions recorded a season-high 17 hits in the second game of the doubleheader as all nine starters in the lineup recorded at least one hit, with six players recording multi-hit performances.
- Unrein led the way with a 3-for-4 showing, while Perez, Morgan Hernandez-Belew, White, Wagner, and Sherwood tallied two hits each.
- Perez also notched a pair of doubles and led the team with three RBIs out of the leadoff spot, while Wagner recorded a double and a home run with two RBIs.
- The nine runs scored was plenty for Rayburn (2-1), who earned her second win of the season after tossing seven complete innings and allowing just one earned run with seven strikeouts.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Ebert made her first collegiate appearance inside the circle during game one of the doubleheader and proceeded to throw four shutout innings and earn the win.
- With four strikeouts during her outing inside the circle today, Crenshaw moves into sole possession of third-place all-time in program history with 323 in her career.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will wrap up their series against the Cowgirls tomorrow with another doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. from NMHU Cowgirl Softball 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.
