COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After winning both games of yesterday's doubleheader to open the series against Colorado State University Pueblo, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs softball team dropped the final two games on Sunday to settle for a split of the four-game series.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Game One: UCCS 7, CSUP 11 | Final Game Two: UCCS 2, CSUP 3 (8 innings)
Records: UCCS (13-30, 10-24 RMAC), CSUP (16-27, 11-23 RMAC)
Location: Mountain Lion Field | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: UCCS falls to 58-60 all-time against CSU Pueblo.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME ONE
- It was a rocky start for the Mountain Lions in the third game of the series as the first two CSU Pueblo hitters reached base on an error and a walk before a pair of one-out singles brought home three runs to make it a 3-0 ballgame for UCCS stepped to the plate.
- The Thunderwolves added to their lead in the top of the third inning as Caitlyn Cole led off the frame with a solo home run before two more runs crossed the plate on a bunt single from Marissa Robertson, pushing the score to 6-0.
- UCCS got one run back in the bottom of the inning on a solo home run from Lexi Wagner, but Cole would launch her second home run of the game in the top of the fourth inning to drive in two runs and give the Thunderwolves an 8-1 lead.
- In the bottom of the fifth inning, UCCS continued to claw back into the game with a leadoff home run from Maddie Unrein cutting the deficit to 8-2 before Solana Martinez recorded a two-out, RBI infield single get another run closer at 8-3.
- The CSU Pueblo offense proved to be relentless, however, as a two-run home run from Jill Bishop in the top of the sixth pushed their lead back to seven runs before back-to-back doubles by Robertson and Taylor Brower in the top of the seventh stretched the advantage to eight runs.
- The Mountain Lions put up a fight in their final at-bats in the bottom half of the seventh inning as they strung together three walks and two hits to score four runs, but a double play off the bat of Maddie Unrein would end the game with CSU Pueblo claiming an 11-7 win.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME ONE
- CSU Pueblo outhit the Mountain Lions 11-8, however UCCS did manage to draw seven walks in the game.
- Eight different Mountain Lions recorded one hit in the game while each of the nine starting position players reached base at least once.
- Unrein and Wagner each cranked home runs for UCCS, with Unrein's marking her sixth of the season and Wagner's being her team-leading 12th of the year.
- Courtnie Heller drew four walks in her four trips to the plate and was pinch run for on two occasions, with both runners coming in to score.
- Braelyne Crenshaw (2-14) made the start on the rubber for UCCS and was credited with the loss after allowing five runs (three earned) across two innings.
- Mackenzie Rutkoff followed Crenshaw out of the bullpen and had a tough outing as she surrendered six earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched. Lexi Rayburn recorded the final two outs for the Mountain Lions while striking out one batter.
HOW IT HAPPENED | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions got on the scoreboard first in the fourth and final game of the series as Bell drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the second inning to give UCCS a 1-0 advantage.
- After Unrein and Heller led off the bottom of the third inning with a single and a walk, Solana Martinez lined an RBI single up the middle to stretch the Mountain Lion's lead to 2-0.
- With two outs in the top of the fifth, UCCS starting pitcher Autumn Kunze ran into her first trouble of the ballgame as Raelynn Rogers kept the inning alive with a triple to left center field before Cole slammed her third home run of the day to even the game at two runs apiece.
- With the score still tied at two in the top of the seventh, the Thunderwolves put together a bases-loaded, two-out rally as they attempted to take their first lead of the game, but a strikeout of Madelyn Huerta ended the inning without any damage.
- In need of just one run to find a victory in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Mountain Lions found themselves in a prime position with runners on second and third base with just one out after a leadoff single from Unrein and a double by Wagner. Similar to UCCS in the top of the inning, CSU Pueblo managed to wiggle out of trouble to keep the game tied and send it to extra innings.
- After a pair of singles to start the top of the eighth inning, CSU Pueblo had Brower lay down a bunt to advance the runners, but an errant throw from Reisman over to first base allowed the go-ahead run to come across the plate, making it a 3-2 ballgame.
- Now searching for one run to extend the game another inning, the Mountain Lions mustered just one baserunner in the bottom of the eighth as CSU Pueblo earned a comeback, 3-2 victory to finish off a doubleheader sweep and a split of the weekend series.
STATS FROM THE GAME | GAME TWO
- The Mountain Lions recorded nine hits in the final game of the series, including three from Unrein out of the two-hole in the lineup.
- Martinez also posted a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and one run batted in.
- Wagner and Hubner tallied the only extra-base hits of the game for UCCS as they each had one double.
- Freshman Autumn Kunze (4-6) put together an outstanding effort inside the circle despite taking the loss, allowing just two earned runs across seven innings pitched with a career-best nine strikeouts.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Wagner has put together a breakout at the plate in her sophomore season, leading the team in home runs (12), RBIs (34), and total bases (80).
- With nine free passes in the series against CSU Pueblo, Heller now leads the team with 22 walks on the season.
UP NEXT
- The Mountain Lions will close out their home schedule next weekend with a four-game series against Chadron State University on April 22-23. Following the completion of the series on Sunday, April 23, UCCS will recognize the team's graduating seniors in an on-field senior day ceremony.
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.
