ALAMOSA, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team split Friday's series opening doubleheader against Adams State University, earning a 2-1 win in game one before dropping a 7-6 walk-off defeat in game two.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Game One: UCCS 2, ASU 1 | Final Game Two: UCCS 6, ASU 7
Records: UCCS (9-22, 6-16 RMAC), ASU (7-24, 4-16 RMAC)
Location: ASU Softball Field | Alamosa, Colo.
All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions move to 68-57 all-time against Adams State.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- The opening game of the series against Adams State was a pitcher's duel from the start with UCCS' Braelyne Crenshaw and ASU's Tayler Duncan going toe-to-toe inside the circle throughout the ballgame.
- Adams State would score their lone run of the game against Crenshaw in the bottom of the second inning as Kaia Bradford and Sydney Muniz tabbed back-to-back doubles to open the frame. Crenshaw went on to retire the next three ASU hitters in order, however, keeping the deficit to just one run.
- After the next three innings went scoreless, UCCS capitalized on a costly error that allowed Mia Perez to reach base to open the top of the sixth inning. A sac bunt from the next batter, Morgan Hernandez-Belew, would move Perez to second base before a triple to right center field off the bat of Paige White brought her across the plate to even the game at one. Two batters later, Lexi Wagner came through with what turned out to be the game-winning hit as she lined a single up the middle that brought home White and gave the Mountain Lions their first lead of the game, 2-1.
- Crenshaw would continue her excellent pitching over the final two innings of play, allowing just one baserunner across the sixth and seventh innings to lock down a series-opening 2-1 victory for UCCS.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- In a game that was focused on stellar pitching from both sides, the Grizzlies out-hit the Mountain Lions 5-4.
- UCCS received single hits from Hernandez-Belew, White, Wagner, and Kelsey Bell, with White's sixth-inning triple being the lone extra-base hit in the game for the Mountain Lions.
- Crenshaw (2-9) was credited with her second win of the season after she tossed a complete seven innings while allowing just five hits, two walks, and one earned run with six strikeouts.
- Duncan took a tough-luck loss for the Grizzlies as she also tossed seven complete innings while allowing just two unearned runs during her outing in the circle.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- Following a scoreless first inning from both teams, the Mountain Lions put together a bases-loaded rally with one out in the top of the second inning. With Perez at the plate, UCCS again benefitted from some shaky defense on the part of the Grizzlies as Perez lifted a routine fly ball to short left field that was dropped and allowed a run to score. The Grizzlies would get a force out at third on the dropped pop fly and Hernandez-Belew would fly out to end the inning, keeping the UCCS lead at 1-0.
- UCCS added two more runs to their advantage in the top of the third inning as Courtnie Heller and Wagner tallied back-to-back doubles before Cassidy Hubner lined a two-out, RBI single down the right field line to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
- The Grizzlies made their way onto the scoreboard in the bottom half of the third inning as they got a pair of runners on base with consecutive infield singles and scored a run on a throwing error by UCCS shortstop Solana Martinez, cutting their deficit to 3-1.
- The Mountain Lion bats continued to add on in the top of the fourth inning as they plated three more runs to push the lead to 6-1. After a single from Martinez and a double from Perez put runners on second and third base, Hernandez-Belew started the scoring in the inning with an RBI single to center field before another run came in to score on a wild pitch. Wagner would drive in the third run of the inning on an RBI single through the right side.
- Adams State began to cut into the deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning as they brought in three two-out runs to bring themselves within two-runs, 6-4. The Grizzlies then wasted little time evening the game at six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning when Jade Garbiso started the inning with a single and came in to score on a two-run home run by the next batter, Briannay Rosas.
- After the Mountain Lions went down quickly in their half of the seventh inning, Adams State's Breck Smith led off the bottom half of the inning with a double that set up for Muniz to come through with a walk-off RBI single that gave the Grizzlies a 7-6 victory.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions and Grizzlies each tabbed 12 hits in the second game of the doubleheader.
- Five different UCCS student-athletes recorded two-hit games, including Perez, Heller, Wagner, Hubner, and Martinez.
- UCCS also notched five doubles in the game, with Heller hitting a pair of two-baggers while Perez, Wagner, and Unrein each tabbed one.
- Freshman Autumn Kunze made her second start of the season inside the circle and tossed 4.2 innings while allowing four runs (three earned) with four strikeouts.
- Lexi Rayburn (2-5) took the loss after she allowed three earned runs across her 1.1 innings pitched in relief of Kunze.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- With the walk-off defeat in game two of the doubleheader, the Mountain Lions snapped an eight-game winning streak against the Grizzlies.
- The 12 hits for the Mountain Lions in game two were their most in a single game since they notched 15 hits in a win over New Mexico Highlands University on Feb. 19.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will close out their series against the Grizzlies with another doubleheader beginning tomorrow at 11 a.m.
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.
